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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27302626">Somewhere I Belong</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton'>treya_barton</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tainted Love [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood Drinking, Child Murder, F/F, Hand Jobs, M/M, Murder, Vampire Bites, Vampire Hunters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:28:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>23,062</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27302626</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yosuke and Chie get a new vampire serial murder case and Yu is haunted by something from his past.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amagi Yukiko/Satonaka Chie, Hanamura Yosuke/Narukami Yu, Hanamura Yosuke/Persona 4 Protagonist, Hanamura Yosuke/Seta Souji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tainted Love [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1895857</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Pumpkin Spice and Everything Souyo (2020)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Sunday Morning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yosuke felt something at the edge of his consciousness, but he was so warm and comfortable that he was loathe to wake up.  He desperately clung to sleep, sliding further into the silky sheets that he was cocooned in and trying to slip back into a deeper slumber.  Unfortunately, whatever it was trying to pull him into consciousness was insistent, leaving feathery, warm marks on his skin that was quickly starting to draw him awake.  As his mind began to clear from the foggy daze, he realized that his boyfriend was littering the side of his face and neck with kisses, in an obvious, cat-like attempt to wake him up for attention.</p><p>Yosuke groaned and squeezed his face between the pillows, trying to hold back a grin as Yu chuckled as he began to press kisses against his collarbone instead.  He stuck his face out from between the pillows and pouted at him.  Yu leaned forward, finally capturing his lips with a pleased hum.  “Couldn’t let a guy sleep for a few more minutes?” Yosuke asked.</p><p>“As happy as I am having you all to myself, your alarm went off 20 minutes ago,” Yu teased.  Yosuke’s eyes widened and he reached for his phone.</p><p>“Shit,” he said, bolting up as he saw the time.  “How did I not wake up?”</p><p>Yu shrugged.  “You turned it off in your sleep.  You usually hit snooze so I waited until I realized you weren’t getting up.”  He then crawled toward Yosuke, straddling his lap and placing his arms around his shoulders.  Yosuke flushed at the sudden closeness – it was too late in the afternoon for this kind of behavior.  He was honestly still feeling pretty groggy; they had stayed up a little too late in the morning so Yosuke hadn’t quite gotten his full rest.</p><p>Yu tried to lean in for another kiss, and Yosuke let out an involuntary yawn, causing Yu to chuckle before kissing his cheek instead.  Yosuke rested his head on his shoulder.  “Don’t fall asleep now,” Yu teased, running his fingers through Yosuke’s messy bed hair.</p><p>“I can’t.  I have to go in early today – have a few things I have to do with day shift,” he grumbled.</p><p>Yu let out a sigh before reluctantly pulling away.  Yosuke pouted as his pillow was taken away from him.  “Should I make you something for breakfast?” Yu asked.  Yosuke shook his head.</p><p>“Unfortunately I ruined any chance of that when I slept in.”  He leaned forward to press his own kiss against Yu’s lips before grinning at him.  “Maybe make it up with dinner in the morning?”</p><p>“I think I can arrange that,” Yu said as Yosuke slid out of bed.  He threw on his clothes from the day before and gave Yu a quick wave before rushing upstairs.  He entered into a disaster area.</p><p>“What the heck is all this?” Yosuke asked, staring at the amount of clothes strewn across the living room.  Teddie was standing in the middle, tugging at his hair as he kept circling around, obviously appearing stressed.</p><p>“My internship is in the morning and I don’t know what to wear!” he wailed, tears in his eyes.</p><p>“What about that one white frilly top you always seem to like?” Yosuke asked, and Teddie lifted his head to stare at him.</p><p>“You want me to wear that thing to meet Ai?” he asked incredulously.</p><p>“I mean, you seem to like it?” Yosuke replied.  “You pull it off well enough…”</p><p>“Well enough is not good enough Yosuke.  I swear, you lost all sense of fashion when you became an adult,” Teddie tsked as he continued to stare at his collection of clothes.</p><p>Yosuke rolled his eyes before sidestepping that disaster and quickly escaping into his room.  He grabbed some clothes, going for a polo and slacks that day since he would be working in the office that afternoon and would need to look a little more presentable than usual, before ducking into the bathroom to take a quick shower and change.  Once he was done and was heading out into the dining room to grab something quick he could take with him to work, he realized that Teddie seemed to have finally calmed down and picked something out and was now in the process of gathering his clothes to put them away again.</p><p>“I knew you could do it,” Yosuke said with a grin.  Teddie gave him a tired smile, and Yosuke frowned, realizing how much the stress was probably affecting his cousin.  “Hey, make sure you relax this evening, ok?” he said.  “Yu promised to cook for us in the morning, so we’ll be sure to see you off with a home cooked meal for luck.”</p><p>“Really?” Teddie asked, and Yosuke gave him a nod.  He then checked his phone and winced.</p><p>“Damnit, I’m going to be late,” he grumbled, before taking off and rushing down the stairs.  Teddie couldn’t help but giggle – it never failed that Yosuke would be rushing off to work.</p><p>Once he got to work, he was surprised to see Chie already in the office.  ‘She must have paperwork to do too,’ he realized.  Before he stepped inside, however, he realized that she was on the phone and paused.  He listened carefully, before his eyes widened as he realized that Chie was yet again talking to Yukiko about wedding planning.  Yosuke pulled a face before quietly backing up and tiptoeing away, wanting to avoid this conversation for now.  As the man of honor as Chie was calling him, he had been dragged along on several wedding planning activities so far and he was often stuck listening to Chie and Yukiko stress about different aspects of the planning.  He figured he deserved a little breather and wandered into the training room, deciding getting a quick workout in would be a viable excuse until Chie was finished.</p><p>“Hey sempai,” Kanji greeted him.  He was lifting weights, and Yosuke couldn’t help but feel a little envious of the amount of weight that Kanji could bench – he was nowhere near that strong.</p><p>“Hey, what are you doing here so early?” Yosuke asked.</p><p>“I always get here early to get some training in,” Kanji replied.  “Nothing beats having a free gym.”</p><p>Yosuke should honestly probably utilize it more than he did – he mainly just exercised by going jogging on his days off.  They got enough during their main job as it was.  He went to go change before going to join Kanji, starting off by doing some stretching.  “How’s Yuuta been?” Yosuke asked.</p><p>“The little squirt seems t’ be adjustin’,” Kanji replied.  “He’s become kind of a leader t’ some of the other kids.”  Kanji sounded pretty proud, and Yosuke couldn’t help but grin.</p><p>“Do they still jump all over you when you show up?” he asked, and Kanji pretended to look weary.</p><p>“Every time.  Darn kids think I’m some kinda jungle gym,” Kanji snorted.  Yosuke couldn’t help but laugh at the image.  “You and Narukami-kun should come visit again.  They’ve been asking about you.”</p><p>“That’s a good idea.  Maybe on our next day off together,” Yosuke replied.  “It has been a little while.”</p><p>“Yeah, Chie-sempai keeps draggin’ you off,” Kanji said, and Yosuke slowly nodded his head.</p><p>“Maybe if I already have a plan, it can be a valid excuse…” he said slowly, and Kanji snickered at him.</p><p>“You try getting dragged along to all these things!  It’s not like they’re all doing the cake tasting,” Yosuke frowned.  “They keep asking my opinion and then rolling their eyes when it’s not what they want to hear…”</p><p>Kanji patted Yosuke’s back consolingly, and Yosuke then launched into a quick, 20 minute workout while continuing to chat with his kohai.  Once he was done, he showered again and changed before taking another chance at the office.  To his relief, Chie was no longer on the phone when he entered.  She was looking through some case files, and glanced up at him.  “Where have you been?” she asked.</p><p>“Decided to do a quick workout at the gym,” he said, and Chie snorted.  “What was that for?” Yosuke asked.</p><p>“You never workout until it’s time to take the PT test and you suddenly train every day for a month, complaining about how “you’ll never do this last minute bullshit again” before inevitably giving it up within a week after passing the test,” she pointed out.</p><p>“Excuse me for wanting to have a life,” Yosuke grumbled.  He then glanced at her, noting the dark circles under her eyes and slump of her shoulders.  “How are you doing?” he asked.</p><p>Chie let out a sigh before stretching.  “I recommend not getting married anytime soon – planning is pure hell,” she joked, and Yosuke let out a chuckle.  For a moment, he was struck with the thought of marrying Yu, and he found himself distracted at the idea of the two of them in tuxes walking down the aisle together.  His cheeks flushed at the thought, and he shook his head deciding to refocus.</p><p>“Are you looking at the serial murder case?” he asked, and Chie nodded her head.</p><p>“Trying to see if there’s anything tying the victimology together,” she replied.  “It just seems so odd – I’ve never seen something like this before.  A serial killing vampire.”  It really did seem to be that way – if the vampire was biting them after death, they weren’t getting any nourishment from the victim so the killings seemed to be purely for pleasure.  Everything about the murders seemed staged and controlled – sophisticated – and not like the frenzy killings of a feral vampire like their usual cases.  The thought was honestly chilling, because vampires that were cold blooded killers were the hardest to deal with.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bent</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yu sees someone from his past that sets him into a panic.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yu lightly tapped his fingers on his steering wheel as he listened to Rise chat about the current project she was working on.  It was a photo spread for a high-end magazine but what she was really excited about was the photographer.  He was well known for his ability to draw unrefined and unpredictable expression from his subjects she was excited to see what he had planned for her.  “It’s not often I go into one of these not knowing what to expect,” she said, voice bubbly with enthusiasm.</p>
<p>Yu couldn’t help but smile, suddenly struck with a memory of the first time he had heard her voice sound bright like that.  When they had first met, she had been scared and unsure of her new lifestyle, but over time as she had grown comfortable with it and come out of her shell, he was able to see what had made her so popular as a hangyōku.  He had only recently changed himself back then, but he had carefully hidden his own insecurities, trying to appear strong and confident so he could be a good support for her.  She, meanwhile, had always been honest with him about her own insecurities and used them to grow even stronger.  It wasn’t surprising to him that she was such a star now – Rise never looked back on things with regret and was always looking forward.</p>
<p>Yu pulled up to an intersection and stopped as the light turned red.  Rise was now switching topics, talking about how she missed singing and was thinking about releasing an album again.  Yu winced, since Rise’s last music career had been during the lowest moment of his life, and he opened his mouth to try to say something encouraging to hide his guilt when he saw something that froze him to the core.  “Ah, I’m sorry darling, I’m sure this is a bit of a sensitive subject for you…” Rise said, and if Yu had been paying attention he could probably have pictured the way she squeezed her eyes shut over the thought of upsetting him.</p>
<p>Instead, it was almost as if her words were floating around him, fuzzy and distant as if being said over a faulty connection and not the pristine sound coming from his car’s Bluetooth.  Yu’s gray eyes widened and his hands gripped the steering wheel as he stared at a woman as she made her way across the crosswalk in front of him.  For a moment, all Yu could do was smell blood, so much blood, along with the terrified cries of children.  There was a piercing scream, along with chilling laughter, and before Yu could sink any further into his building panic it broke as the car behind him honked its horn.  He looked up, noting the green light, and he began to cross the intersection as his heartbeat raced and he felt a cold sweat across his skin.</p>
<p>“Darling, are you alright?” Rise asked, and Yu took a steadying breath.</p>
<p>“I am fine.  I was just lost in thought for a moment – was trying to think what I was going to make for Yosuke and Teddie when I get off work.”</p>
<p>“Normally I would be annoyed to have you zone out on me, but if it’s for Hanamura-kun then I guess I can let it go this time,” Rise replied.  Her voice sounded a little off, and Yu had a feeling he hadn’t been entirely convincing in his delivery.  He felt pretty shaken and wondered if he had let it slip in his voice.</p>
<p>“Tell me more about this album,” he said.  “I think you should go for it – you’ve always had a great voice and a love for music.”</p>
<p>Rise sounded relieved as she launched into details about her plans, and Yu couldn’t help but smile slightly as he began to calm down.  Talking to Rise allowed himself to temporarily escape the dark place his mind had gone moments ago, and he did everything in his power to focus on her words instead of letting his mind drift off again.</p>
<p>However, once he got to work and was off the phone with Rise, his mind snapped back to his earlier memory, and once he reached his office, instead of getting right to work he pulled up the local library’s website.  Due to working for the museum, he had a subscription to access their full collection of documents which included their scanned newspaper articles from over the years.  His fingers were hesitant for a moment before they slowly began to type in his search term.  He knew the exact date and year – it had been shortly after the end of World War II after Japan had finally announced its surrender.  Yu pulled up the newspaper article and scrolled through it until he got to the article in question.  It detailed the murder of an entire family in a sleepy neighborhood that had been one of the few that had survived the firebombing of Tokyo.  The family had been affluent and well known in that part of the city, so the brutal murder had been a shock.  The article detailed the strange marks on the bodies that had been made posthumously; they never had been able to determine what kind of object could make marks like that and no suspect had ever been named in the case.</p>
<p>Yu stared at the article in silence for several long moments before leaning back in his chair.  The room felt like it was spinning for a moment, and he had to close his eyes and force himself to even out his breathing until everything felt stable again.  He had seen her again. He had definitely just seen her again.  Which meant the case that Yosuke was working…  Yu felt a chill run up his spine.  That whole evening he was distracted and barely able to focus on work.  At the earliest time that seemed respectable to leave, Yu quickly rushed from the office, barely managing to wave at the security guard in his haste. </p>
<p>Once he was in his car, he headed straight home before going to his apartment, trying to shake off his unpleasant thoughts as he went through his stock to figure out what to make Teddie and Yosuke for breakfast.  Teddie tended to like Western style meals, so Yu settled upon crepes, making savory ones for Yosuke and sweet fruit filled ones for Teddie.  He gathered the ingredients he would need together and began to head upstairs, having heard Yosuke return home about 10 minutes before.</p>
<p>He knocked on the door after balancing his container of ingredients with one hand, and moments later it was thrown open by Teddie who looked at him with a glittering expression.  Normally he wouldn’t be awake that early, but Yu figured he was waking up earlier due to his excitement over his internship.  And today it may also be the possibility of his meal.  “Sensei, what are you making?” he asked while peering into the container, trying to decipher what it could be with the ingredients inside.</p>
<p>Yu’s eyes softened at his enthusiasm.  “It’s a surprise,” he said gently.  He looked up to see Yosuke step out from his room, now dressed in his sweats and looking comfortably soft.  Yu’s eyes were drawn to him, and Teddie rolled his eyes before beginning to tug him into the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Yosuke was just telling me how he was starving,” Teddie said, causing his cousin to blush in embarrassment.</p>
<p>“I was not!” he said, frowning at him as Yu let out a low chuckle.</p>
<p>“I guess I can’t keep him waiting, can I?” he asked, while Teddie nodded enthusiastically.  He then rushed off into his room to start getting ready for his day while Yosuke headed into the kitchen to join him as he usually did.  However, when he tried to hang on Yu, he couldn’t help but flinch slightly, causing Yosuke to draw away in surprise.</p>
<p>“Everything o…” he started to ask, but Yu popped a strawberry in his mouth to quiet him.</p>
<p>“I need to focus,” he said, causing Yosuke’s brows to furrow.  Yosuke chewed on the strawberry and pulled back, crossing his arms as he watched Yu whisk together a quick crepe batter before heating up a pan and getting out some butter to grease it.  He moved quickly and efficiently, trying to lose himself in the act of cooking while doing his best to ignore Yosuke’s steady stare.  He hadn’t meant to react the way he had, but with how unsettled he felt right now he couldn’t help it.  He knew throwing up barriers and shrinking away from Yosuke would only awaken the detective’s curiosity and concern, but it was Yu’s natural reaction when he was upset about something.  He could only just hope Yosuke would let it go.</p>
<p>Once he was finished cooking up the crepes, he set them both on table.  Teddie had rejoined them, shooting Yosuke a questioning gaze when he noted that his cousin wasn’t hanging all over his boyfriend like usual, but Yosuke had merely shaken his head before also sitting at the table.  Teddie had a strawberry and crème and a banana and Nutella crepe, both dusted with powdered sugar.  Yosuke had one with a fried egg, bacon, and a cream sauce along with another with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and gruyere.  They looked amazing, and as they started to eat after saying “Itadakimasu” Teddie began to fill them in on how his internship had gone the day before.  Although it was mainly an orientation, he had gotten to meet some of the people on Ai’s team and he had even been able to walk in on a fitting for an upcoming show.</p>
<p>Yu glanced over at Yosuke, who had an affectionate grin as he listened to his cousin speak, and he couldn’t help but feel his heart ache for a moment at the thought of the danger he was in.  His concern was broken as Teddie cleared his throat while looking at him expectantly.  That day he was dressed in a button up with the sleeves rolled up, suspenders with rolled up jeans, and had his hair partially pulled back giving him a more mature look than usual.  His socks were patterned and Yu wondered for a brief moment what shoes he would pair with the look.  He glanced over at Yosuke, who wasn’t meeting his eyes.  He looked disgruntled and Yu had a feeling Yosuke wouldn’t be letting things go after all.</p>
<p>“Yes?” he asked.  “I’m afraid I didn’t hear what you said.”</p>
<p>Teddie let out a huff.  “You’re acting weird today sensei,” he said.  “Did Yosuke say something stupid earlier?”</p>
<p>He glanced at his cousin who was staring down at his plate.  Teddie’s brows furrowed over his odd reaction – usually he would be sputtering denials but instead he was strangely quiet.  “Yosuke didn’t do anything wrong,” Yu quickly assured him.  “I had a long day at work.”  Yosuke glanced up at him at that statement, and Yu looked away as Teddie shrugged.</p>
<p>“We all have days like that I guess,” he said.  “As long as it’s not because of Yosuke being insensitive…”</p>
<p>“Oi, I’m right here you know,” Yosuke said, although his voice was lacking its usual bite.</p>
<p>“I know you’re worried, but trust me when I say Yosuke has been nothing but supportive,” Yu replied, giving Teddie the small, calm smile that tended to put people at ease.  He did seem to relax somewhat, and Yu glanced over at Yosuke.  He was looking down again, a small frown on his face before cutting into his crepe to take a bite.  He definitely looked tense, and Yu felt his shoulders droop.  He had a feeling where things would go once Teddie left and he wasn’t looking forward to it.</p>
<p>“Since he’s been nothing but supportive, make sure you hold onto him, ‘k?” Teddie asked, taking his final bite of his strawberry crepe.  He had a warning look in his eyes, and Yu realized that the conversation had been his roundabout way of telling Yu not to screw things up.  He felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck as Teddie shot him a grin before checking his watch.</p>
<p>“Looks like it’s time to go!” he said before jumping up and rushing into his room to grab his portfolio.  He then rushed to the door, throwing on some flashy sneakers which gave a pop of color to his ensemble before waving and heading out the door.</p>
<p>Once it shut behind him, a heavy silence fell over the room.  Yu glanced over at Yosuke who was poking at his crepe with his fork.  Yosuke then took a deep breath before setting the fork down and lifting up his gaze to look at Yu.  His eyes were sharp, and Yu’s breath hitched for a moment. It had been awhile since he had seen Yosuke in investigative mode.  “What’s going on?” Yosuke asked, folding his arms and leveling Yu with his pointed stare.</p>
<p>Yu rested his hands on the table, drawing his thoughts together.  “I’ve been thinking about your case,” he started, causing Yosuke to tilt his head in confusion.  It was obvious that hadn’t been the direction he had been expecting for the conversation.</p>
<p>“Which one?” he asked.  Yu stared at him coolly for a moment and Yosuke’s eyes lit up with realization.  “You probably mean the serial murder one, right?”</p>
<p>Yu nodded.  “Is it possible…” Yu started, already knowing what Yosuke’s probable reaction would be, “for you to give that case to someone else?”</p>
<p>He lifted his head to look at Yosuke, and watched as his eyes widened in surprise before shifting to hurt and confusion.  Then, they settled on annoyance.  “What?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I was wondering if…”</p>
<p>“I heard what you said.  What I want to know is why you would ask something like that?” Yosuke snapped.</p>
<p>Yu just sat back, staring at him quietly, unable to voice the whirling thoughts that had been going through his mind all night.  There was too much he wasn’t able to tell Yosuke yet, but his fear for his boyfriend’s safety was enough for him to at least open up about his concern.  Yosuke’s eyes were watching his face searchingly, as if looking for even a tiny bit from Yu to let him understand what was going through his mind, and when the stoic vampire gave him nothing his face fell with disappointment.  “You know I’m not going to do that,” he finally said.</p>
<p>“Why?” Yu asked.  He looked up at Yosuke, imploringly.  “Surely there is another detective capable…”</p>
<p>Yosuke cut him off.  “How would it be fair to me – and to Chie – who have both already invested so many hours of work into this investigation?” he asked.  “And why would we burden someone else who already has their hands full with a case we are fully capable of working ourselves?”  He sounded frustrated – and hurt – by Yu’s request.  “What, do you think we’re not up to the task?” he asked, his voice breaking toward the end.</p>
<p>Yu’s breath hitched in his throat and he quickly shook his head.  He could feel how upset Yosuke was, and while he wanted to comfort him, he knew it would be out of line since he was the cause for his distress.  Instead of explaining himself further, he just fell silent, staring at Yosuke and hoping that the detective would be able to sense that he was only speaking out of a place of love and concern.</p>
<p>Yosuke chewed on his lip for a moment, obviously doing his best to keep his temper in check, before looking at Yu again.  “I’m feeling kind of tired,” he finally said, before standing up to grab Teddie’s plate.  His own food was still half uneaten.  Yu tried to reach over to take it from his hands, but Yosuke pulled it away.  “I’m going to be staying here tonight, if you don’t mind.”</p>
<p>Yu understood what Yosuke was trying to say to him and he felt his heart clench.  He gave a short nod.  “Sleep well, Yosuke,” he said, before leaning forward to place a kiss against his cheek.  To his relief, Yosuke didn’t pull away and instead was staring at him with a complex expression.  While he was upset, he also looked worried, as if he was afraid he was messing things up as Teddie had teased earlier.  His hands gripped the plate, and Yu clenched his jaw.  He hated seeing Yosuke like this, he hated being the cause, but he was too consumed with fear right now to take back his words.</p>
<p>“See you tomorrow?” Yosuke quietly asked, and Yu nodded, feeling relieved at how it seemed to ease some of the tension out of his boyfriend’s shoulders.  Yu then headed downstairs, not really wanting to leave Yosuke but realizing he needed space to piece together his thoughts.  Once he closed the door Yu clenched his fists before going to the kitchen to pour a drink, quickly dropping a blood tablet inside before knocking it back.  He then set it down and hung his head.  He hated getting into an argument with Yosuke, hated upsetting him, hated yet again hiding things from him.  But all he could think about was how terrified he was.  He had already seen Yosuke terribly injured before and he didn’t want to have to go through that – or something worse – again.</p>
<p>“Forgive me,” he said quietly, before sliding down to the floor, resting with his back against the cabinet.  If Yosuke wasn’t going to drop the case, he would just have to come up with a new strategy.  He wouldn’t let Yosuke face that kind of danger unprotected and would find some way to keep him safe. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. What a Good Boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yosuke recovers from his argument with Yu and tries to come up with a resolution.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Yosuke woke up that afternoon he felt groggy like he had not gotten much sleep at all.  He yawned as he checked the time before grimacing as he mentally calculated how much sleep he had gotten.  ‘Chie better be thankful I’m her friend,’ he thought grumpily as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  He was getting up earlier than he usually would since he had promised Chie he would join her and Yukiko that afternoon on one of their many wedding planning functions; Chie and Yosuke were both off that evening and Chie wanted to take full advantage of their off day.</p><p>As Yosuke made his way to the kitchen, he spotted the mess left by Yu that morning after their argument and felt his chest clench painfully.  He finally began to clean it up, tossing the leftover ingredients that had been left sitting out and washing and setting Yu’s containers aside to dry while placing his own dishes and cookware in the dishwasher.  He then began to work on breakfast, starting with washing and dumping rice in the rice cooker before heating up miso soup and frying an egg.  He had some pickled vegetables that Kanji had made earlier in the week and passed out to his coworkers to go with the meal as well.  Soon Yosuke was sitting down to a simple but pretty decent breakfast, and as he ate he kept mulling over his conversation with Yu the night before.</p><p>His boyfriend was definitely worried about something.  It irritated Yosuke that he wouldn’t explain what it was, and he did his best to tamp down the way it was causing him to feel insecure.  He couldn’t help but feel that maybe Yu didn’t trust him enough or didn’t think highly enough of his skill as a hunter and a detective when deep inside he knew it wasn’t true.  Yu had up until now been supportive of his career; while he was worried about his safety he also trusted in abilities and knew how much his job meant to him.  He wasn’t very talkative about his past in general and other than briefly mentioning his first career as an aspiring chef he had not really revealed much else.</p><p>Yosuke suddenly felt himself a bit curious about it, and he wondered how old his boyfriend and Rise actually were and when they had first met.  He was struck with the thought that Yu had a whole history prior to meeting him, and while it hadn’t really bothered him before since he hadn’t considered it any of his business, he was now realizing that while Yu was ageless, time would not slow for himself.  ‘That must be so hard on him,’ Yosuke thought, biting his lip.</p><p>He set down his chopsticks and drummed his fingers on the table as he considered his options.  He honestly wanted to try to talk to Yu, but knew he didn’t have time to properly do so before heading to meet up with Chie and Yukiko.  By the time he returned, Yu would already be out at work as well.  Yosuke’s mind wandered back to his earlier dilemma, and he was suddenly struck with an idea.  There was one person who may just be able to help.</p><p>Yosuke dialed up the newest number that had been added to his phone after a recent outing he and Yu had with Yu’s ex and closest friend the super model Kujikawa Rise.  Yosuke fidgeted nervously, before feeling slight relief mixed with anxiety as she picked up.  “Hanamura-san!  It is wonderful hearing from you.  To what do I owe this pleasure?”</p><p>Yosuke felt his heart skip a beat – it was wild to him that he had a super model’s phone number now, especially one that he had looked up to for all of these years.  What was even crazier is the fact he was dating her ex.  “H-hey Kujikawa-san…” he said.  “How have things been with the photo shoot?”</p><p>He still followed her official accounts and had been keeping up with some of her projects; he knew she had been scheduled a shoot with a famous photographer that day.</p><p>“It’s been a lot of fun!” she said excitedly, before her voice suddenly changed.  Her bubbly tone abruptly became more serious.  “But that isn’t why you called me today, is it?”  Her tone seemed almost chiding, and Yosuke felt his face blush with shame for a moment.</p><p>“Ah, how could you tell?” he asked.</p><p>Rise let out a sigh.  “Yesterday I had an odd conversation with Yu over the phone,” she replied straightforwardly.  “Somehow…I am not surprised that you are calling me today.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” he asked.</p><p>“It’s hard to explain.  Just a feeling I had – an instinct you can say,” she replied.  “Something happened in his past that he hasn’t even told me about.  His reaction afterward…it is the reason why we broke up,” she admitted.  “He starts to act irrationally sometimes and I think it’s always related to whatever that event was.”</p><p>Yosuke was quiet for a moment.  “He asked me to drop a case I’m working on,” he said.  “He’s never done that before.  He seemed scared.”</p><p>Rise let out a deep breath.  “Oh Yu…” she said sadly.  “Try not to worry too much.  I will try to talk to him as well.  Do not take it personally – he cares so much about you and I am sure means well.”</p><p>“I know,” Yosuke sighed.  “Maybe talking to you will help.”</p><p>“Hmmm,” Rise was suddenly quiet for a moment.  “It is probably best if you talk to him too.  He’s probably upset with himself – I don’t want him to spiral again like he did last time.”</p><p>Yosuke remembered the state Yu had been in after he had discovered what he was and shook his head.  “I would rather not have a repeat of that myself,” he said.  “I was planning on talking to him after he got off work.”</p><p>“Good.  Thank you for calling.  Is it ok if I call you Yosuke-kun instead?  I feel like we’re too close to speak so formally to each other,” Rise commented.  Yosuke was surprised, and he couldn’t help the slight flutter in his chest at the fact someone he used to idolize was now calling him by first name.</p><p>“Yeah, sounds good to me.  Have a good day, Rise-chan,” he replied.  They then hung up, and Yosuke ran his hand through his hair for a moment before bringing his dishes to the sink to rinse them off.  He then checked the time and cursed before rushing to his room to quickly change; he was going to be late and knew he would be getting an earful when he arrived.</p><p>Yukiko and Chie were checking out a few different potential locations where they wanted to hold their wedding ceremony, and sure enough when his taxi arrived at the first one he found Chie and Yukiko waiting impatiently for him.  “You were supposed to be here 10 minutes ago,” Chie grumped at him as he stepped out of the taxi.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.  Something just came up and I took longer than expected,” he said.  He followed them inside, and they were soon led on a tour by their contact for the location.  It was a very pretty venue, but something about it just didn’t seem right for Yukiko and Chie to Yosuke; it was attractive but in a modern way that didn’t really seem to fit their style – the wedding planner had probably picked it out since it was a popular location these days.</p><p>Chie and Yukiko seemed to be of a similar opinion, for they soon lost interest in the tour and instead began to grill him about his comment.  “So, what came up that caused you to be late?” Chie bluntly asked.</p><p>“You do seem a bit off,” Yukiko added.  “Did you and Narukami-kun get into a fight?”</p><p>Yosuke’s mouth dropped open.  “Ah, their first quarrel as a couple,” Chie said knowingly.  “We’ve had a few of those in our day, haven’t we?”  She sounded almost proud of him, and Yosuke gave them both an incredulous look.</p><p>“First of all, how the hell could you have known that?” he asked.  “Second of all…” he trailed off.  “I ended up calling Rise about it to see if she had any recommendations since she’s his ex and all.  And I honestly feel just as conflicted about it after talking to her as I did before.” </p><p>“The best thing to do is to communicate and to see what he has to say,” Yukiko said.</p><p>“Yeah, you gotta talk,” Chie agreed.  “Which means you gotta listen.”  She didn’t really sound as convincing in the latter part, and Yosuke had to bite back his reply to point out the fact.  He knew she was right.</p><p>“Yeah I’m going to try to when he gets off work tonight.  Wish me luck?” he asked.  They both gave him words of encouragement, before Yukiko politely asked if they were done with the tour.  It was quite obvious none of them were impressed with the venue.  They ended up checking out two more locations, neither of which seemed to work out any better although they were similarly nice, before Yosuke returned home to eat dinner with Teddie.  He picked up take out on his way home and listened attentively as Teddie shared details about the second day of his internship.  He got to actually participate more today by shadowing some of the stylists and makeup artists and in his bubbly enthusiasm he had seemed to forget the odd atmosphere that he had witnessed during breakfast that morning.</p><p>Yosuke was glad since it meant he didn’t have to deal with Teddie’s concern; he remembered how his cousin had been worried over him for weeks after he and Yu had gotten back together and he didn’t want him to return to mistrusting their neighbor when he had finally seemed to accept him again.  Once they were finished with dinner, Teddie got ready to go out with some friends that evening while Yosuke headed to his room to take a nap before preparing to meet up with Yu later that night.</p><p>Once he woke up, he carefully fixed his hair, hoping he at least looked more refreshed than he had earlier in the day, before heading to the kitchen to pack up Yu’s containers in order to bring them back down to his apartment.  Yosuke had been given a key, so he used it to unlock the door before going to put the containers away.  He then walked around the apartment, taking in the décor and trying to guess what age some of the artifacts on display were from.  ‘Was Yu alive?’ he pondered as he gazed at a small pot that was on display.  Since this was his personal collection and not at a museum, Yosuke had no clue as to its origins. </p><p>He tore his eyes away before heading over to the record player that Rise had gifted Yu.  He flipped through the records before pulling out one for the band Happy End that his dad enjoyed listening to.  The music was relaxing and Yosuke hummed along as he headed to the kitchen to pick out a bottle of wine to share with Yu when he got home; he knew that Yu usually liked to drink a glass with a blood tablet when he got home.  He poured himself a glass as he waited and tried his best to still his unsettled heart.</p><p>After another half hour, Yosuke began to hear footsteps quietly making their way up the stairs.  He realized Yu must have sensed him when he heard them momentarily pause before moments later the door finally swung open.  Yu stared at Yosuke in silence for a moment as Yosuke poured him a glass of wine and popped in a blood tablet from where he kept the bottle in the kitchen.  “Welcome home,” Yosuke greeted, and Yu finally closed the door and slid off his shoes before making his way over to the table to join him.  As he took his seat, Yosuke leaned forward and kissed him firmly, causing Yu’s surprised gasp to get caught in his throat as Yosuke captured his lips.</p><p>Yosuke pulled away, giving Yu a steady gaze before sitting back down next to him.  Yu set his hand on the table, palm up while looking a little unsure, and Yosuke smiled before taking it and giving it a squeeze.  Yu gave him a relieved smile before taking a sip of his doctored wine.  “How was work?” Yosuke asked.</p><p>“You don’t want to talk about what happened?” Yu said, surprise flickering across his face.</p><p>“I do.  But I’m willing to wait until you’re ready,” Yosuke admitted.  “I talked to Rise-chan earlier.  I know that there’s something that’s worrying you and you only have my best interest at heart.  So, until you’re ready to talk, I just want you to know that I am here and ready to listen.”</p><p>Yu stared at him quietly for a moment, his silvery eyes studying Yosuke’s face.  He then brought his hand to his lips before pressing a small kiss to the back of his hand.  “Thank you.  For being patient with me,” he said softly.  Yosuke gave him an encouraging smile, before lacing their fingers together.  Yu then began to tell him about his day and the work he had been doing on the next exhibit they would be hosting.  It was going to focus on the postwar Showa period and include artifacts of the time period as Japan was rebuilding right after WWII.  Yosuke listened attentively as they held hands and sipped wine while relaxing music played in the background.  Yu finally felt his heart that had been in disarray all evening settle, and he was again reminded on how fortunate he was to have Yosuke in his life. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Bittersweet Symphony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yu reflects on his past while Yosuke comforts him.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yosuke’s breathing slowed and evened out, signifying that the detective had finally fallen asleep.  One thing Yu had been quick to discover about his boyfriend was that he had trouble falling asleep unless he was exhausted; Yosuke’s anxiety seemed to creep up on him whenever it was time for bed, and Yu could tell his mind was racing over cases he was juggling or paperwork he had to do the next day.  Yu had started a habit of running his fingers through Yosuke’s hair, a motion that seemed to soothe his boyfriend to sleep while also alleviating his own stress.  It was almost like petting a cat – Yu had told him as much shortly after he had started the practice, and Yosuke had seemed a little offended at the idea.  Yu smiled as he remembered his disgruntled look, which had swiftly dissolved into a blushing mess when Yu had decided to make it up to him via late afternoon kisses.</p><p>Yu’s lips quirked up at the thought.  He loved how expressive his boyfriend was and he couldn’t help but want to draw all his various emotions out, even if it sometimes drove the other man crazy.  Yosuke stirred in his arms, and Yu froze for a moment until he felt the other man snuggle closer to his chest before falling still again.  Yu tightened his grip around Yosuke a little more securely before shifting so Yosuke’s head was tucked under his chin.  He felt his soft, warm breaths against his collarbone and relaxed.  As Yu settled into his usual meditation when Yosuke stayed the night, his mind began to drift back to the conversation he had with Rise earlier.  She had called shortly after Yosuke had called her, telling him about his boyfriend’s worries and deepening his already acute guilt after their argument that morning.</p><p>“Darling, why not just open up to him?  You trust him, don’t you?” she had encouraged.  “Yosuke-kun is the first person I’ve seen you start to seem like your old self around since we broke up.  He’s good for you.”</p><p>“Yosuke-kun, huh,” he had said, while mulling over her words.</p><p>“Jealous that we’re on a first name basis now?” she had teasingly replied.</p><p>“No, happy.  I’m glad the two people I care about most in my life are getting along,” he honestly stated.</p><p>“Which is why I think you should talk to him,” she pressed, not letting it go.  “I know whatever happened to you was traumatic.  But I think enough time has passed that opening up about it now would allow you to heal.”</p><p>Yu let out a small sigh.  “I know,” he finally admitted.  Although he didn’t elaborate further.</p><p>Rise took his reply as a sign to continue.  “Yosuke-kun is strong.  He’s already accepted you, hasn’t he?  No matter what it was that happened, I don’t think he will think any less of you.”</p><p>Rise was incredibly astute when it came to reading his underlying fears, and Yu squeezed his eyes shut before pinching the bridge of his nose.  Rise finally seemed to let it go, realizing that she had made her case.  “My break is about over, so I am going to let you go.  Please consider opening up to him, ok?”</p><p>Yu’s face pinched over the memory, and he felt his own anxiety that had dissolved through cuddling with Yosuke start to creep back in.  His mind drifted back to the worry and panic he had started to feel the moment Yosuke had mentioned his new case to him.  Yu was suddenly overwhelmed with the metallic smell of blood, and he buried his nose in Yosuke’s hair and breathed in the citrusy scent of his shampoo.  His grip on Yosuke subconsciously tightened again as he tried to rationalize himself through his fears.  It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Yosuke or Chie’s abilities – they were both seasoned hunters and he had seen Yosuke fight first hand.  Since his ambush by Adachi, he hadn’t had any serious injuries again and seemed to be making good on his promise to be more careful.  The problem was, he had faced the vampire they were hunting before and was well aware of how powerful she was then and how much stronger she would be now.</p><p>Their current target was an elder vampire, and her abilities far surpassed his own, especially in his current state.  Yu had not tasted real blood in years, which meant his senses and abilities were dulled compared to what they had been back when he was drinking real blood regularly. To top it off, the vampire they were seeking was his former mentor, the one who had trained him and taught him everything he knew.  Yu’s eyes squeezed shut as his mind raced with some of his early training sessions with her.  He had trusted her.  She had seemed just, had taught him to only hunt those who had done wrong, to hide his tracks, to blend with society.  She had seen his potential and praised his steady rise in power.  She had shown pride in him, stating she had never seen a fledgling grow as quickly as he had.  He had nothing but infinite potential.</p><p>Then, one day, he realized that it had all been manipulation.  Yu sucked in a breath, as he was struck with the moment he had realized his mentor’s true nature.  He froze as the sound of screaming children rang in his ears, while the overwhelming smell of blood surrounded him, encouraging him to let go and give in to bloodlust.  He remembered facing his former mentor, the uncanny smile on her face as she beckoned him to join her.  Her eyes bore into his, mesmerizing, as his fight or flight instincts began to kick in.  Yu felt his chest constrict, and his breathing turned shallow as the same panic that he had faced back then overwhelmed him yet again.  ‘Run,’ his mind told him, but he remained rooted in place.</p><p>Suddenly, his anxiety was broken by an unexpected movement.  Yu flinched and nearly pushed the other presence away, so overcome was he by fear, until he felt the other being capture his wrists and groggily ask if he was ok.  Yu’s adrenaline slowly began to die down as he realized the other presence was his boyfriend who was sleepily blinking at him with growing concern.  “Yu?” he asked, his head tilted as he tried to get Yu to meet his gaze.</p><p>“Yosuke,” Yu breathed.  He realized that he was shaking, and he began to feel guilty about the fact he had woken Yosuke up.  “I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to wake you.”  Yosuke shook his head, before shifting until he was the one holding Yu instead while cradling Yu’s head against his chest.  Yu upon hearing Yosuke’s steady heartbeat felt his trembling finally begin to subside.  Yosuke began to card his fingers through Yu’s hair, just as he did every night to Yosuke, and he felt his tension slowly begin to dissolve.</p><p>“Do you want to talk about it?” Yosuke finally asked, and Yu shook his head before clutching the back of Yosuke’s sleep shirt.</p><p>“I can’t tonight,” he admitted.  “But…I will soon.”</p><p>Yosuke pressed a kiss into Yu’s hair, before he started to hum a song that Yu often heard him playing in his room upstairs.  Yu slid his eyes shut, focusing on the sound of Yosuke’s voice and the steady beat of his heart, and he slowly felt himself began to fall into his meditative state.  Shortly afterward, Yosuke’s humming began to quiet down and his breathing slowed again, signifying he had yet again fallen back to sleep.  Yu felt relieved, knowing how much the detective needed his rest, and he couldn’t help but feel calmer somehow being wrapped in Yosuke’s comforting embrace.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Helena</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yosuke and Chie, with the help of Naoto and Kanji, finally get a lead on their investigation and uncover the likely suspect behind the serial murders.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Yosuke woke up that afternoon, he was surprised to find Yu still deep in his meditation.  The silver haired vampire would normally be awake and watching Yosuke as he stirred awake, so Yosuke was surprised to be the one to see Yu’s calm, relaxed face instead.  It was eerie in a way, since Yosuke never really saw him in his meditative form and usually only saw him awake.  Yosuke lay still for a few moments, basking in this rare moment, before he leaned forward to press a kiss to Yu’s forehead, finally causing him to stir from his meditation.  His gray eyes slid open before studying Yosuke’s face like he usually did in the morning.  “Sleep well?” he finally asked, sitting up and causing his silky hair to effortlessly fall back into place.</p>
<p>Yosuke couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous because he knew his own hair was currently an unruly mess as it always was in the morning.  “You kidding me?  With you in my arms?  That’s the best sleep I’ve ever had,” Yosuke said, giving him a cheeky grin.</p>
<p>Yu glanced away, a tinge of red gracing his cheeks.  “I will make you breakfast,” he decided, upon glancing at the clock.  “You have time for a change.”</p>
<p>Yosuke also looked at the time.  “So I do.  Well, while you cook me something, I’ll go ahead and wash up and get ready.”  He then leaned forward to press a kiss to Yu’s lips, a warm, morning kiss that caused the vampire’s heart to flutter as Yosuke pulled away.  He then winked before sliding out of bed and whistling the same song he had been humming last night as he headed to Yu’s bathroom.  Yosuke had plenty of clothes over at this point that he had occasionally left on one of his nights over; Yu would always carefully wash and iron them for the next time Yosuke stayed the night and needed a change of clothes.</p>
<p>While Yosuke was in the shower, he thought over his encounter with Yu last night.  His boyfriend had seemed terrified by something, and honestly after seeing him fight Adachi and knowing quite how powerful he was, something that scared Yu was pretty concerning.  He had a feeling it had to do with the case and why Yu was being so cagey all of a sudden.  Yosuke hoped that his boyfriend would open up to him soon so he would be able to understand just what it was he was facing.</p>
<p>Once Yosuke was done with the shower and had dried himself off, he headed to Yu’s room clad only in his towel before going into his closet to pick out something to wear.  It made his heart feel fuzzy, seeing his stuff casually thrown in with Yu’s, and he had already been teased on more than one occasion from his cousin about how often he spent the night downstairs.  Yosuke felt flushed on the back of his neck all of a sudden as he hurriedly changed into his clothes.  Teddie still needed him as a roommate while he was in school, so Yosuke wasn’t going to move anytime in the next year or so, but it was tempting to think of what it would be like moving in together permanently.  His mind whirled with the possibilities as he headed into the dining area and sat down in front of the English style breakfast Yu had cooked for him.  Yu liked to switch things up, and Yosuke honestly never knew which country he would be trying next.</p>
<p>“This looks amazing,” he breathed as he began to dig into the bacon and sausage.  There were also poached eggs, fried tomatoes, and fried mushrooms along with some buttered toast.  Not for the first time, Yosuke wished that Yu could also enjoy the amazing meal he had cooked for him, but he knew that showing his appreciation for the food was honestly more than enough for his boyfriend.</p>
<p>Once he had finished eating, he insisted on washing the dishes, causing Yu to roll his eyes, albeit in an adoring way, while offering to help dry.  Not long after, he dashed upstairs to gather his things for work.  Teddie was still at his internship, so Yosuke didn’t take too long to get ready and headed straight to the precinct.</p>
<p>Once he got there and dropped his stuff off at his desk, he and Chie exchanged greetings before they both headed their separate ways for the investigation.  Chie was going with Kanji to hit up his vampire contacts to try to gather details about the serial killer, while Yosuke was going to share the case with Naoto to garner some of her insight.  He gathered up the case files and headed to her office, his mind yet again mulling over the complexities of the case.  Once he got to Naoto’s office, he knocked on the door and waited a moment until she welcomed him in.  He then opened the door and stuck his head in before saying, “Corporal,” giving her a wide grin when she rolled her eyes at his antics.  “I’m sure you’re super busy managing your team, but can you spare some time for an old colleague?”</p>
<p>“We’re still colleagues, sempai,” she replied dryly.</p>
<p>“Excuse me, I should be the one calling <em>you</em> sempai,” Yosuke said, and she leveled him with a steady stare as he casually stole her office mate’s chair again.  Yosuke honestly didn’t know how he always managed to visit when the other officer was out investigating.  “How’s the new title been treating you?” Yosuke asked.</p>
<p>“It’s more paperwork,” she shrugged.  “But I still get to work cases which is more important to me.”  She then reached forward for the files in Yosuke’s hand, and he handed them over before leaning back in the chair.  “I wanted to see if you’ve seen anything else like this before,” he said.  “I didn’t know how much you had looked into it before you handed it off to us.”</p>
<p>“It had been at the beginning of the case so there hadn’t been many details yet,” she replied as she began flipping through the case files, eyes trailing through as she began to catalogue the various details enclosed.  Yosuke watched her at work, impressed as always over how efficiently she picked apart the data.  Naoto could read and process the information much faster than he could, so it was always inspiring when he got to see her at work.  After several minutes of flipping through the paperwork, a thoughtful frown crossed Naoto’s face.</p>
<p>“Got a lead?” Yosuke asked hopefully.</p>
<p>“This reminds me of something,” she admitted, before standing up.  “Follow me.”</p>
<p>Naoto led him down the hall and to the archive, where they kept important evidence and old case files.  Some of the cases were cold cases that had never been solved and were filed away for times when officers had time to try to tackle one.  Naoto often found herself drawn to the archive room and had actually solved a few cold cases when she found herself with time to spare.  She walked down the aisle, glancing at the names of the cases until she finally found the one she was looking for.  She pulled out a box and brought it to the table located in the room that she could often be found at as she poured over a cold case.</p>
<p>“I want you to look at this,” she said, opening the lid to the box.  Yosuke reached in and pulled out a few case files that included newspaper article clippings.  The case was from 1949 – the family of a local politician in Tokyo had been brutally murdered with a suspect never found.  When Yosuke reviewed the case materials, he realized it seemed eerily similar to the serial murders he was investigating right now.  Back then, vampire hunters had not yet integrated with the police force and worked separately as specialists they would call in for certain cases, which unfortunately meant he had to read between the lines on the autopsy.  But it definitely looked like the victims had been scratched with claws and had already been deceased prior to being bitten.  The attacks weren’t as sophisticated as the current ones – they definitely seemed a little more frenzied and had a higher body count than the current ones which were so far individual victims at a time – but Yosuke could see how this could be an early case where the vampire was starting to form its MO.</p>
<p>After he finished reading through the case files, he started to look at the newspaper articles that were included in the file when his eyes fell upon the grainy, black and white photo taken outside of the home while the murders were being investigated.  Although it wasn’t very clear, one of the onlookers in the crowd looked incredibly familiar, and Yosuke couldn’t help but let out a gasp.  “What is it?” Naoto asked curiously, before glancing down at the article.</p>
<p>“I think I have a lead after all,” Yosuke said, his stomach twisting uncomfortably.  He had a feeling Yu knew something about the case that he wasn’t ready to share yet, and after seeing the photo Yosuke finally had some proof tying his boyfriend to the case.  If he was correct, and his gut instincts were telling him he was right, Yu was in that photo at the crime scene.  Which meant he definitely had an idea about who the vampire was doing the serial murders.  In fact, it was probably what had led to his trauma.</p>
<p>Yosuke felt jittery, for while he didn’t want to confront and upset his boyfriend even more, he couldn’t avoid it now that he had evidence Yu was linked to the case.  He wanted to protect his boyfriend, but he also had to protect future victims against the serial murderer.  He looked up to Naoto’s calculating gaze.  She tilted her head before glancing back down at the newspaper article.  “I know you’ll do what’s best, sempai,” she said as she studied the photograph.</p>
<p>Yosuke let out a sigh.  “Thank you, for sharing this with me.  It gave us a much needed lead.  I’m not exactly thrilled at the conversation I’m about to have but…if it’ll save people…”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you will handle it well,” Naoto said.  “You both seem to trust each other.”</p>
<p>Her words were reassuring, and Yosuke gave her a small smile before checking his phone for the time.  “Hopefully Chie and Kanji’s scrounged something up as well.  I think I’ll head back to the office to review this case a little more while I wait.”</p>
<p>Yosuke packed up the case files and placed them back in the box before picking it up.  He exchanged a nod of farewell with Naoto before heading back to the office he shared with Chie.  He set the box on the desk – although it was honestly pretty light, the weight of the knowledge it contained felt heavy on his shoulders.  While he stood for a moment, staring blankly down at the file box, his whirling thoughts were interrupted as Chie and Kanji suddenly burst through the door.</p>
<p>“Yosuke, you’re not going to believe what we found,” Chie said.  Both their cheeks were flushed and they were breathing heavily – it was obvious they had raced back to the office.  Yosuke was startled to realize that her expression was gravely serious, while Kanji’s appeared confused.</p>
<p>“What did you find out?” he asked, keeping his own findings to himself for a moment.</p>
<p>“The vampire we’re after – she’s an elder vampire.  And she goes by the name Izanami,” Chie choked out as she caught her breath.  She then collapsed in her chair before staring up at the ceiling.  “Of all things, it had to be an <em>elder</em> vampire…”</p>
<p>Yosuke felt a chill run through him.  No wonder Yu was terrified.  Upon seeing Yosuke’s reaction to the news, Kanji cleared his throat.  “Just what is an elder vampire?” he asked.</p>
<p>“They’re old – very old,” Yosuke explained, slowly sinking into his seat.  “They’re only a step away from being an original vampire.”</p>
<p>“That makes them very powerful – and dangerous,” Chie explained.  “There’s a reason why all the vampires have been reluctant to say anything about her.  In fact, once we report this to the chief, he’ll have to create a joint task force in order to handle this case.”</p>
<p>Kanji’s eyes widened.  “That sounds pretty scary…”</p>
<p>“It is scary,” Yosuke agreed.  “Izanami is a pretty fitting name for an elder vampire…”  His eyes drifted back down to the box, and he rested his hand on it.  “Usually elder vampires stick to themselves and don’t cause trouble.  But the last time one of them did…we lost several hunters taking him down.”  The incident had happened prior to Chie and Yosuke joining the force, but they had heard enough stories about it and seen the haunted reactions of those who had been there to know how serious it was.  Now it was imperative Yosuke go to Yu to learn what he knew; any information he could gather would be crucial for the case.</p>
<p>That alone hardened his resolve.  “I’ve got a lead,” he said, throwing on his jacket.  “I’ll tell you about it tomorrow – I’m going to go follow up on it.”  Chie opened her mouth to protest, but shut it when she noticed the heavy resolve on her partner’s face.  Her eyes drifted to the cold case box resting on his desk and she let out a sigh.</p>
<p>“Alright.  I’ll hold off on bringing this news to chief until after you follow up on this lead,” she said.  Yosuke shot her a relieved smile before waving and heading out the door.  He knew Yu was off today and would more than likely be relaxing at home that night.  Hopefully, he would be ready to talk when Yosuke arrived.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Even Flow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yosuke asks Yu to talk about his connection to Izanami and Yu opens up about his past.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yu was sitting in his leather armchair, one leg elegantly crossed over the other, while reading a book by candlelight.  The candle was scented with the cedar aroma Yosuke seemed to like so much and Yu was hoping that the scent and the warm lighting would help soothe the anxiety he had been feeling since he had his panic attack that woke up Yosuke earlier in the day.  Unfortunately, he found himself unable to concentrate even though he was reading one of his favorite books <em>Kokoro</em> which he always seemed to glean new meaning from each time he read.  Yu was so absorbed in his mental battle over the images from his past that kept cropping up in his mind that when his door suddenly unlocked and began to open he was taken completely by surprise.  He bolted up and toward the door in a flash and was only jolted still when his senses caught up as they recognized the familiar smell of his boyfriend who was blinking at him from the doorway.</p>
<p>“Did I startle you?” Yosuke asked as he stepped inside and slid off his shoes.  He was carrying a bag from the nearby convenience store and now that Yu’s focus was attuned to the detective he could sense that he seemed anxious about something.  Yu’s eyes trailed over Yosuke as he moved past him to the table, setting out a bowl of gyudon and a curry bun along with two bottles of tea.  Yu recognized one as his preferred tea and realized Yosuke had picked it up so he would be able to join him for the meal.  Yosuke definitely seemed to have something on his mind and based on the time had left work early to talk to him.  Yu couldn’t help but pick up on Yosuke’s nervousness, and he suddenly wondered at his odd behavior as he moved to join him at the table.</p>
<p>“I was lost in thought,” he replied as he opened the bottle of tea and dropped in a blood tablet.  He took a sip as Yosuke began to eat his gyudon.  “Normally I hear you come up the stairs.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know,” Yosuke said between bites of food.  “You usually greet me at the door with a kiss.”  He said it matter of fact, but Yu felt a slight tinge of guilt over it.</p>
<p>“Should I kiss you now?” he asked and Yosuke gave him an incredulous look.</p>
<p>“While I’m eating?” he asked, and Yu couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.  He was more off than he realized.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, and Yosuke let out a small huff.</p>
<p>“I do appreciate our usual greeting,” he replied.  “And we can definitely make up for it later.  But you don’t have to feel guilty about not greeting me with it every time.  I know things are a little rough for you right now.”</p>
<p>“Why are you here?” Yu finally asked after allowing Yosuke a few minutes more to eat.  He was slowing down a bit now which meant he had satiated some of his hunger.  “Normally you would still be at work.”</p>
<p>Yosuke let out a sigh before pushing his bowl away.  He looked at Yu, considering his words as he took a sip of tea.  “I discovered something today,” he said quietly.  “And in light of what I discovered…” he bit his lip.  “I think…it’s finally time for us to talk.”</p>
<p>Yosuke wasn’t meeting his eyes, and Yu felt a chill run through his body.  “About…?” he asked quietly.</p>
<p>Yosuke glanced up at him.  “Let’s move to the sofa,” he said, covering his food and grabbing his drink.  He offered his free hand to Yu who hesitated for a moment before accepting it, feeling some of his unease over the situation melt away with his boyfriend’s warm, reassuring grip.  Whatever Yosuke wanted to talk about, it seemed he was more worried for Yu than anything else, which made him feel a little better.</p>
<p>Once they got to the couch, Yosuke sat down and motioned for Yu to join him.  Once Yu sat down, stiff due to the uncertainty surrounding the whole situation, Yosuke shifted until he was closer to Yu before taking both of his hands and taking a steadying breath.  He then gave him a serious look.  “I really hate to ask this.  I wanted to wait until you were ready.  But in light of my investigation and needing to gather information in order to solve this case…unfortunately I find myself in a situation where I can no longer wait.”  Yosuke appeared troubled at the thought, and Yu began to understand the reason for his unease.</p>
<p>‘He doesn’t want to upset me,’ he realized.  Somehow, the knowledge was comforting, and he felt some of the tension he had been carrying over the past few weeks begin to dissolve.  Just the knowledge that Yosuke cared so much was enough to ground him.  Yu gently squeezed Yosuke’s hands, before giving him a reassuring nod.  He had a feeling now over what Yosuke was going to ask, and while earlier he wouldn’t have been ready, he realized that he was ready now.  Rise was right – he trusted Yosuke and felt like their feelings for each other were strong enough to get him through the story of his past.  “What do you need me to tell you?” he asked, his voice calm and steady.</p>
<p>Yosuke seemed similarly reassured by his reaction, and Yu watched as his shoulders began to relax.  “Today at work, we finally had a breakthrough in the case.  We were able to get the name of a suspect and tie the incidents to an older case from 1949.”  Yu tensed at the date and sucked in his breath, and he watched as Yosuke’s eyes shot up to give him a worried look.</p>
<p>“It’s ok,” he said gently, and Yosuke nodded before continuing. </p>
<p>“There was a newspaper article in the case file,” Yosuke said softly.  “With a picture.”</p>
<p>Yu knew exactly what article he was referring to – it was the same one he had pulled up several days ago after all.  “A picture of me,” he quietly replied, and Yosuke nodded.</p>
<p>“What is your connection to Izanami?” he asked, gently prodding without any hint of accusation.  Yosuke wanted to understand, to gather information about his target.  Even knowing Yu had turned up at the crime scene, he didn’t seem to hold any prejudice against him.  Yu stared at him for several long moments, willing those horrible images that had haunted him all these years out of his head.  He needed to focus in order to explain everything to Yosuke, to allow him to understand the guilt he had been living with.  To understand the reason for his way of life.</p>
<p>“If it’s ok with you, I would like to start from the beginning,” Yu slowly replied.  Yosuke nodded, his gaze steady as he waited for Yu to continue.  “I want to share it with you, my past.  How I became what I am today.  Hopefully…you’ll understand.”</p>
<p>Yosuke reached forward, brushing Yu’s bangs from his eyes before gently cupping his face with both hands.  “While I do want to know more about you, the man I know and love today is the outcome of what came before.  That’s more important to me than what happened to you in the past,” Yosuke said.  “I’m not going to judge you, Yu.”</p>
<p>Yu leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Yosuke’s.  He took a deep breath.  “I know,” he replied.  “A part of me has been scared but…deep down, I know.”</p>
<p>He felt Yosuke’s smile, although he wasn’t able to see it at this angle, and he pulled away, feeling comforted by Yosuke’s warm gaze.  He pulled Yosuke’s hands from his face so he could hold them again, gaining strength from his steady grip.  He then faced him and began to tell his story.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Yu grew up in a wealthy family in a nice, large residence in Tokyo.  His father was born into money and was a banker, while his mother who was from a small town named Inaba in the countryside had gotten a job in the city working as a teacher with the goal of finding a rich man to marry so she wouldn’t have to have the same worries in life her parents did back home.  Her parents had not been able to provide much for her beyond allowing her an education, and they had invested what little they had in their son who was her younger brother.  His parents met at a nightclub and hit it off, and soon after his mother’s dreams of marrying rich and retiring to be a housewife were fulfilled.</p>
<p>Yu had a good education growing up, and his parents dreamed of him becoming a doctor or a lawyer once they realized how smart he was.  Yu, on the other hand, realized at a young age that he had a love for cooking.  He always helped the family chef in the kitchen and decided he wanted to go to culinary school and travel the world training under renown chefs while getting to try his hand at cooking a variety of dishes and getting to use different ingredients.</p>
<p>His parents did not approve, but they did not stop him from heading to culinary school after he graduated high school.  While in school, he trained under a classically trained chef who taught him the process of creating the kaiseki meal he recreated for Yosuke after they had gotten together.  Once he had learned the steps, he made it for his parents, and upon eating the meal they realized his talent for cooking and for the first time told them they were proud of him and the path he had chosen for himself.</p>
<p>
  <em>Upon hearing that part of the story, Yosuke squeezed Yu’s hand, before smiling over how wistful Yu’s expression became over that moment.  “It sounds like they really loved you,” Yosuke said, and Yu leaned forward to share the kiss they had missed out on earlier.  He then continued.</em>
</p>
<p>While Yu was training to become a chef, Japan began its age of Imperialism and started to invade the surrounding countries, snapping up territory before becoming embroiled in World War II.  Yu managed to avoid getting drafted into the military due to his family’s connections, and instead began working in the kitchen of a fine dining restaurant after he finished culinary school as he continued to hone his skills.  One night, Yu got off work late due to some guests sitting around and continuing to order even after the restaurant was closed.  He had to clean up the kitchen and was exhausted after a long night of running around, performing any task asked of him from the chefs.  He was also starving since he hadn’t eaten yet that night due to how busy he had been.</p>
<p>Thus, Yu found himself heading to an izakaya that stayed open later so he would be able to eat something before returning home.  There ended up being an open seat at the bar, and Yu found himself sitting next to a handsome man with porcelain skin, dark hair, and mesmerizing dark eyes.  The man was friendly and offered Yu a drink, and before long Yu began to feel strange and fuzzy, like he was getting drunk faster than he normally would.  Before he was aware of what was going on, he ended up blacking out, before having a strange, vivid dream where his body felt like it was on fire.  He felt a piercing, terrible pain that should have woken him up, but it was soon replaced by a pleasurable sensation that coursed through his veins and left him craving more.  He had never felt anything like it before, and his hazy, sleep addled brain had trouble understanding exactly what was happening to him.</p>
<p>
  <em>Yosuke sucked in his breath at Yu’s explanation, and he felt his boyfriend bristle with anger.  He knew exactly what had happened to him, and he looked about ready to stake the vampire who had done it to him.  Yu squeezed Yosuke’s hands in order to calm him down before continuing his story.</em>
</p>
<p>When he finally woke up, he realized he was lying in the street behind the izakaya, tossed next to where the restaurant stored their trash.  His body felt lethargic, and he had a throbbing pain around his neck and his collarbone, although when he moved to feel the area he realized while there was dried blood, there didn’t seem to be any wound.  When Yu slowly sat up, he felt dizzy since the drug that had been slipped in his drink hadn’t fully worn off, and he realized that while he felt like death and had an aching hunger in the pit of his stomach, his senses also seemed sharper than they ever had before.  His sense of smell and hearing was heightened – it was now early enough in the morning that the izakaya had finally closed for the night, but he could hear the animals roaming the streets along with the few people wandering around on their way home.  He could also see clearly even though it was a dark night without a moon.  When Yu got up and slowly began to make his way to the main street, he started to get flashes of what had happened to him.</p>
<p>It seemed he had been cognizant enough a few times throughout his ordeal to wake up enough to remember being dragged out of the bar, stumbling next to the mysterious man who had been buying his drinks, and how his dark, mesmerizing eyes were suddenly cold and almost appeared animalistic as they gazed at him.  The man had attacked him, and while Yu had at first struggled even in his drugged stupor, he had soon faded back into the haze as he began to lose blood in the man’s violent frenzy.  After that, Yu only felt pain tinged with pleasure with the occasional flash of soulless eyes when his eyes managed to open here or there.  Yu shuddered at the memory, before leaning against a nearby building as he tried to gain hold of himself.</p>
<p>
  <em>Yosuke was rubbing reassuring circles on Yu’s hands, his eyes showing concern as Yu told this first difficult part of his story.  Yu felt a little guilty over causing his boyfriend worry, but also felt better finally speaking about what happened to him and knowing he had someone who cared about him to tell it to.  It made it easier to tell the next part, even as he felt shame over it.</em>
</p>
<p>Yu explained that as he tried to orient himself, and the effects of the drug began to fade away, he felt his senses grow even stronger along with the biting hunger in the pit of his stomach.  Yu began to pinpoint exactly where the other people out and about on the street were, and to his horror he stared to realize he was honing in on one thing in particular – the sound of their heartbeat.  He unconsciously began to follow the sound of the closest one to him, and in retrospect he was probably only moments away from attacking when he was intercepted by another vampire – a woman with long dark hair and a warm, understanding gaze.  She called herself Izanami after the goddess, and she brought Yu to a pleasure house frequented by vampires where the prostitutes freely offered their blood and Yu was able to drink without attacking or killing another human.</p>
<p>Izanami took him under her wing, working Yu through his early bloodlust, teaching him how to control it.  Once it was safe for him to enter society again, she taught him the unspoken rules of their kind.  They needed to hide their true nature from humans since there were hunters that knew about them and would slay them if they knew what they were.  They were to only feed from those willing, or hunt those they know had done wrong.  She taught him how to use his heightened abilities and praised how quickly he caught on, stating that he was strong for a fledgling and would grow to be quite a powerful vampire when he matured.  She also warned him to never see his family again, stating that they would wonder why he only went out at night and would start to realize he wasn’t aging.  Many vampires tended to slip up around their families, placing themselves and their families in danger. </p>
<p>Thus, Yu reluctantly cut himself off from his past life, leaving his job and staying away from his parents, uncle, and young cousin who had quickly realized he was missing and began desperately searching for him.  It broke his heart, both hurting his family in such a way and having to give up his dream career.  He learned that he could no longer taste food and that it would be practically impossible for him to become a chef, and those early few months were tough as he slipped in and out of depression.</p>
<p>Izanami was with him every step of the way, and once Yu finally started to acclimate to his new way of life, she began to leave him alone in order to handle her own business.  She never spoke about what she did when she was away, and while her time away stretched longer and longer, she always occasionally came back to check on him in order to see how he was doing.  Yu began to help other newly turned vampires, just as Izanami had helped him, for he quickly realized that fledglings that did not have support would become quickly overtaken by bloodlust and would lose all sense of self afterward.  They were a danger to humans and to vampire society and at that point would need to be hunted down, whether by the human hunters or by fellow vampires trying to protect their way of life.</p>
<p>By this time, the war was well under way with Japan bringing the US into the war with Pearl Harbor.  It was around this time that Yu ran into Rise and took her under his wing.  She had been a hangyōku who had been attacked by a patron and turned by the vampire who saved her since she had been on the brink of death.  She quickly grew attached to Yu, and slowly over time as they started living together and forming a life with one another, she began to fall for him.  It wasn’t until the firebombing of Tokyo destroyed their home and he thought he had lost her that he realized the feelings were mutual, and as they began to rebuild their lives afterward Rise finally confessed and they started their relationship.  They had a few blissful years together where they were happy – the war finally came to an end and while the country had gone through the horrifying fire bombing and two nuclear bombs, people were slowly starting to get their lives back together.  Then, in 1949, Izanami suddenly came back into his life.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Plush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yu shares with Yosuke what happened the night of of the 1949 murders and reveals the unsettling truth that lead to him shunning his vampiric nature.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I want to share a trigger warning for this chapter since it does describe the murder of the family mentioned in previous chapters which also includes children.  The details for the children are not graphic but I know that can be upsetting for some people and wanted to forewarn the readers.  This chapter also discusses Yu's resulting trauma from what he had witnessed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rise had left for the bathhouse as she always did before a performance, which had left Yu alone in the apartment they shared.  He had been about to put on his uniform, fingers trailing along the seams of the collar as he thought about Rise’s usual complaints about how the job was a waste on him, when he sensed another presence in the room.  Yu’s head shot up, and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw the familiar presence of his mentor.  He hadn’t seen her since before the firebombing that had destroyed his last home and hadn’t been sure if she had survived.  He couldn’t help but feel relief wash over him.  “Sensei, you’re alright,” Yu said, setting down his uniform.</p><p>Her eyes swept over to it, and Yu almost felt as if her expression was masking a cool disdain even though her eyes looked warm as they usually did.  He blinked, and when her expression was back to its usual pleasantness he wondered if he had imagined it.  “I’ve been looking for you,” she replied.  “You were hard to find after the chaos of the war.”</p><p>Yu nodded.  “I didn’t know how to find you,” he replied.  Izanami always found him and had never left him a means to keep in touch.  “After the bombs destroyed our home, we left Tokyo for awhile until it started to rebuild.”</p><p>Rise had lost her grandmother that night, and Yu would later lose his father who had been in Hiroshima on a business trip when the bomb dropped.  He still kept tabs on his mother, uncle, and cousin who had all managed to survive the war, however.  “I see.  Yet, you have returned.”</p><p>“Yes, Rise loves the city – loves performing,” Yu replied.</p><p>“And you?” Izanami asked.  Yu hesitated.  Ever since he had lost his culinary dream, other than his training under Izanami and enhancing his skills as a vampire he hadn’t really formed any new goals.</p><p>“I’m here to support her,” he replied.</p><p>Izanami snorted at that, an uncharacteristic reaction from his normally supportive mentor, and Yu felt a bit of unease.  He wasn’t quite sure why his mentor had chosen now of all times to appear.  “I would love to catch up, but I have to get ready for work,” Yu explained, holding up his uniform.  “Maybe on my day off we can plan to meet up?”</p><p>Izanami’s eyes glanced at the uniform before flicking back to him.  “I need your assistance tonight,” she replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.</p><p>That didn’t stop Yu from trying.  “While I would normally be more than happy to help…” he started, but she cut him off.</p><p>“They pick anyone off the street for your job.  If you lose this one there are plenty more like it for you to switch to.”  Izanami was impatient.  “Is this anyway to treat the one who saved you from bloodlust and made you strong?”</p><p>Yu closed his mouth and let out a sigh.  He set down the uniform, briefly considering whether he should leave Rise a note, but Izanami’s impatience made the decision for him as she swept out the door.  Yu quickly followed her, catching up quickly before walking alongside her.  It brought back memories of his time training with her, and he turned to look at her.  “What do you need?” he asked.</p><p>“You will soon see,” she said, her expression unreadable.</p><p>They moved quickly, faster than most humans would be able to see, and soon arrived in a neighborhood not unlike the one Yu had grown up in.  There were large homes surrounded by high walls, the streets quiet and missing the pedestrian traffic in the busier parts of the city.  Yu couldn’t figure out why Izanami would have brought him here, and when he opened up his mouth to ask she suddenly disappeared from his side, leaping over a wall and landing soundlessly on the other side.  He followed her, and that sense of unease began to grow, leaving the hairs standing on the back of his neck.  “Can you tell me now?” he asked, and she ignored him, instead slipping inside the unlocked home.</p><p>Yu followed, tension building as he followed her through the house until they ended up in the master bedroom.  He suddenly wondered how she seemed to know exactly where to go, and as they stood there overlooking the sleeping couple he couldn’t help but wonder again why they were there.  The man looked familiar – Yu vaguely remembered seeing his face in the local newspaper and thought he was a newly elected official of some sort, and he assumed the woman was his wife.  They were both sleeping peacefully, and Yu couldn’t help but feel breaking into their home and being there was wrong.  “We should go…” he started to say, before trailing off as he caught a glimpse of his mentor’s face.</p><p>What he saw left a cold chill along his spine.  His mentor’s normally warm gaze had shifted and now appeared icy – soulless – as she gazed at the sleeping couple.  She looked like she was staring at prey – not people – which gave her eyes an animalistic property that suddenly brought Yu back to the day he had been changed all those years ago.  Yu’s eyes widened as Izanami approached the bed, and he felt sick as realization struck him.  The man at the bar – he had dark eyes, long dark hair that had been pulled back, the same porcelain skin.  Yu had assumed it was a man based on his clothes but…</p><p>Izanami paused by the bed, staring down at the man, a sneer on her face, twisting it into something rotten from her usual serene beauty.  She ran a finger along the politician’s chin, causing his eyes to twitch and for his body to shift in response before she roughly gripped it, forcing his eyes open as his sleep addled brain began to respond to his natural instincts which screamed <em>danger</em>.  “Remember me?” she asked, voice icy as she leered at him.  Yu recognized the fear which quickly escalated to terror which morphed on the man’s face.</p><p>“You’re still alive?” he gasped, trying to yank away but unable to due to the strength of Izanami’s grip.  Her hands slowly tightened, causing her nails to dig into his skin.  His wife began to stir awake.</p><p>“Honey?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.</p><p>“You need to leave – get the children…” he hurriedly replied, barely able to speak with the tight hold Izanami had on his jaw.  Then, there was a loud crack and he suddenly slumped into the bed, eyes wide with pain but unable to move due to being paralyzed from his injury.  He was barely alive, and Yu dashed forward and yanked Izanami back from the bed.</p><p>“What are you doing?” he asked as the politician’s wife began to scream as she realized what had happened to her husband.</p><p>Izanami was undeterred and cracked her knuckles, her fingernails transforming into claws.  “I’m teaching you your final lesson.  You were growing too soft with that girl – I should not have left you for so long.”</p><p>“You always said to only feed on those willing or kill those who have done wrong,” Yu said, standing between her and the paralyzed man and crying woman on the bed behind them. </p><p>Her eyes bore into him, devoid of anything tying her to his mentor, and Yu felt fevered memories of those same eyes peering at him between moments of dark and searing pain mixed with mind-numbing pleasure the night he had been turned.  A cruel smile graced her lips.  “Someone of our caliber doesn’t need to play by the rules,” she replied.  “Besides, this man was a hunter who has decided to unify the factions and tie them to the police force.  This will serve as a warning to their kind.”  She moved to step past him and Yu stood his ground, trying to hold her back, until she easily tossed him over her shoulder, causing him to fly across the room and crash into the wall as she returned to the bed, grabbing the wife and beginning her vicious attack.</p><p>Yu scrambled to his feet, and his sharp hearing picked up on the sound of steps coming from down the hall.  He rushed to the door just as the couple’s daughter entered the room, eyes growing wide at her father’s unnatural angle and the sight of their mother being attacked.  Yu could smell the blood from Izanami’s frenzy and felt sick.  The little girl began to cry, capturing Izanami’s attention, and she let go of the mother to turn to see what was going on.  The little girl tried to push past Yu toward her parents, but he quickly pulled her back.</p><p>The mother, still somehow alive even with her terrible wounds, tried to crawl down from the bed to get to her child in order to protect her.  “Not my little girl,” she sobbed, blood trailing behind her as she tried to drag herself away from her attacker.  Yu rushed forward to help, wanting to get between her and Izanami, but the vampire was too fast – too strong – for him and quite easily staved off his attack.  It was nothing like their sparring sessions, and he realized he had underestimated just how strong the other vampire was.  He desperately tried to fight her, especially once he heard more children enter the room upon hearing their sister cry.  He turned his head to see two more staring in horror, another older girl and a little boy that looked like the youngest of the three children.</p><p>Izanami used Yu’s moment of distraction as an opening and grabbed his arm, cracking it and causing pain to shoot through his body, before tossing him aside again.  As Yu fell to the floor, she then stepped toward the mother, finally finishing her off before setting her sights on the children.  Yu stood up, blinking back the pain he felt from his broken arm, before glancing over at the father.  He was still somehow holding onto life, although based on the expression marring his features it seemed he’d rather be dead than witness the horror being inflicted on his family.</p><p>Yu strengthened his resolve and yanked on his arm, crying out in pain as his broken arm snapped back into place and began to fuse back together, before rushing at Izanami before she could lay a hand on the children.  “Run!” he growled at them as they began a furious battle, but the children instead started to crawl toward their parents while crying.</p><p>Yu did everything he could to try to fight Izanami, but he was barely able to land any hits on her and instead kept taking on more injuries, more bruises, more broken and fractured bones, and so many cuts which was causing him to lose his own blood.  The weaker he got, the more he found himself honing in on the smell of blood splattered throughout the room; he was barely holding on from succumbing to bloodlust, and in a moment of clarity he realized that the smell of blood was too strong to only come from one person.  In-between their exchanges of blows, Izanami had somehow already attacked the children, and while there was a possibility some were still alive, with their injuries it was highly unlikely they would make it through the night.  Their father also finally appeared to have passed away, and Yu felt tears swell up in his eyes at the realization that all of his efforts had been in vain.  He hadn’t been able to save anyone.  He watched as Izanami continued to tear into the flesh of her victims, realizing that she wasn’t even doing it to feed since they were all dead, and before he could succumb to the stench of blood permeating in the room he turned and fled.</p>
<hr/><p>Yu was brought out of his thoughts as Yosuke suddenly scooped him into his lap, arms securely wrapped around him as Yu belatedly realized he was sobbing into his shoulder.  Yosuke’s fingers carded through his hair, and Yu clutched onto Yosuke tightly as he tried to regulate his breathing, realizing that it had become constricted just like it had been that awful night.  Yu’s whole body was trembling, and he squeezed his eyes shut and instead sought out the one thing that usually seemed to grant him peace – the steady beat of Yosuke’s heart.  He focused on it, barely registering Yosuke’s calming voice and comforting grip, until finally the panic he was feeling after reliving the horror of that night began to subside.</p><p>Yosuke was placing gentle kisses along his face as he continued to hold him close, and Yu finally felt the tension drain out of his body.  Upon realizing that Yu seemed to be cognizant again, Yosuke carefully lay them back down until Yu was sprawled over him on the couch.  Yu reached up and dried his tears with his sleeve, before taking a deep breath and releasing it. “When I came to – after Rise found me and cleaned me up – I came to a few conclusions,” Yu said, voice hoarse.</p><p>“Yu, you don’t…” Yosuke started, and he shook his head. </p><p>“I want to finish,” he said quietly.  Yosuke continued to card his fingers through his hair as he continued.  “Izanami was the one who had turned me.  When she found me again, I don’t think she had expected me to survive her attack.  She had obviously fed me blood, maybe on the off chance I would survive, and upon realizing I was alive she took me under her wing and was trying to groom me into eventually becoming a monster like her.  The scary thing is…she may have succeeded if I had succumbed to bloodlust that night.”</p><p>“I don’t think you would have ever succumbed,” Yosuke said quietly, and Yu tightened his arms around Yosuke’s waist in response. </p><p>“After that, my relationship with Rise deteriorated, as I’m sure you could have guessed.  Izanami tried looking for me a few times after that but I managed to evade her somehow until she finally gave up.  I didn’t want to have anything to do with being a vampire after that, and Rise couldn’t understand why because I couldn’t talk about it.  I…was awful to her.  I am fortunate that she stuck around as long as she did and continues to be my friend until this day.”</p><p>Yosuke placed a kiss on top of Yu’s head, before shifting him until he was in a more comfortable position in his arms.  He was quiet for a few moments as he processed everything Yu had told him.  “I think I understand why you left back then,” he finally said, referring back to Yu’s actions before they had finally gotten together.  “I hadn’t really understood back then, although I could tell something had triggered it.  But now, I understand.”</p><p>Yu pulled back, kneeling slightly so he could look Yosuke in the eyes.  He looked exhausted from telling his story, but his eyes were firm as they stared at him.  “Leaving you back then was the wrong decision.  I’m glad you found me.  Being with you,” his hand reached forward to cup the side of Yosuke’s face.  “It’s the best decision I ever made in my life.”</p><p>Yosuke reached up to place his hand over Yu’s, his eyes growing soft as he stared back at him.  “I’m glad too,” he gently replied.</p><p>Yu leaned forward, resting his forehead on Yosuke’s.  “This is why I’m so terrified of you being on this case,” he finally said, feeling tears pinprick in the corner of his eyes again.  “I don’t want to lose you.”</p><p>Yosuke sighed before sitting up so they could look face to face with Yu cradled in his lap again.  He placed his arms around Yu’s neck before looking him squarely in the eye.  “Yu, in my field, we are well aware how dangerous an elder vampire is.”  Yosuke’s voice was firm and reassuring.  “This is not the first we’ve dealt with one and it will not be the last.  Once I report what we’re dealing with to the chief, the first action he will take is to create a task force to make sure we are well equipped for the hunt.”  His eyes stared searchingly into Yu’s as he asked, “Think you’ll be up for it?”</p><p>Yu stared back, before reaching up tentatively and brushing Yosuke’s bangs out of his eyes.  He was due for a trim.  “I’m not strong enough quite yet.  But I will make myself stronger and won’t let you face her without me.”  His gaze was clear and determined, and Yosuke felt a relieved smile form on his lips.</p><p>“I wouldn’t want it any other way.  So, how does a vampire get stronger anyway?” he asked curiously.</p><p>Yu let out a hum.  “I think the first thing we’ll need to do is visit Rise,” he admitted.  He glanced at his watch – it was still early in the morning so they would have plenty of time for the trip.  He thought back through her schedule and figured she would in fact probably be home.  “You up for it tonight?” he asked.</p><p>Yosuke nodded.  He then pulled Yu forward before placing a comforting kiss on his lips, his thumbs wiping away the dried tears from under his eyes.  “Thank you, for opening up to me,” he said, before placing another kiss on Yu’s forehead.  Yu gripped Yosuke’s wrists, pulling his hands away before pressing kisses to both his palms in return.</p><p>“It’s relieving somehow, getting that off my chest after all of this time,” he said quietly.  “I still feel so much guilt – I wish I could have done something for them…”</p><p>“Making sure Izanami can’t hurt anymore people will be fitting justice, I think,” Yosuke spoke up, and Yu let out a small smile at his words.</p><p>“You’re right, as always,” he replied.  They spent a few more minutes cuddling on the couch, allowing Yu to wind down after retelling his traumatic experience before preparing to head to Rise’s to ask for her help.  Yu, yet again, realized how fortunate he was to have Yosuke in his life and was glad he had finally opened up to his boyfriend.  He slid his eyes closed for a moment, relaxing as he listened to the steady beat of Yosuke’s heart as he mentally prepared for his next steps.  He knew the path ahead wasn’t going to be easy, but Yosuke was right.  It would allow him to in a small way make amends for that night and he was finally ready for it.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. I'm Yours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yosuke finds out what Yu needs to do in order to get stronger and volunteers himself for the role.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The car was silent as Yu drove them to Rise’s high rise apartment.  Yosuke kept switching between glancing out the window at the quiet, early morning streets that weren’t bustling quite as much as they did the rest of the day, and turning to look back at Yu whose eyes were steadily focused on the road ahead.  Yu looked exhausted after their emotional talk earlier, but he also had a determined set in his shoulders that reminded Yosuke of the moment Yu had cast off his fears and accepted their relationship head on.  Yosuke felt his chest warm as he studied Yu’s eyes – as much as he could see from this angle – and felt relief that they were no longer filled with fear as they had been the past several weeks.</p><p>Yosuke leaned back in his seat before turning his gaze back to the window, a smile hovering on his lips as he basked in the easy familiarity of their relationship that had returned now that the tension had finally been lifted.  Yosuke had missed this – had missed having Yu’s full support.  He hadn’t realized how much it had meant to him until it had suddenly disappeared due to Yu’s consuming fear.  Once they pulled up to Rise’s parking garage that they were able to enter after Yu typed in the passcode, Yu drove up to the appropriate floor and after parking, they both sat for a moment.  “You sure you’re ready?” Yosuke asked, turning to look at Yu again.</p><p>The other man nodded.  “I am,” he said, before hesitating.  “You may not like what you’re about to hear though.”</p><p>Yosuke raised an eyebrow.  “What do you mean?” he asked as Yu got out of the car.</p><p>“You’ll soon see,” he cryptically replied as he checked his phone which had dinged at him.  “Rise wanted to know if you were hungry.”</p><p>Yosuke remembered his half eaten dinner and winced.  “Maybe just a little,” he admitted.  “I doubt we’d be able to get anyone delivering quite this late though.”</p><p>Yu grinned at him.  “You’d be surprised.  Rise’s got more connections than you’d think,” he replied as he messaged her back.  They headed toward the walkway that connected to the apartment building, and Yu typed in another code to allow them inside.  They then made their way to the elevator so they could reach Rise’s place.  Due to security reasons, it required a key card to get to her floor, which Yu kept in his wallet.</p><p>“Feeling déjà vu?” Yosuke asked cheekily, and Yu turned to glance at him.  “I mean you did live here for a bit after all.”</p><p>Yu shook his head.  “It’s too big here,” he muttered, and Yosuke couldn’t help but grin.</p><p>“So if I said I wanted a nice, big, high rise apartment…?” he asked as they got off at Rise’s floor.</p><p>Yu hesitated.  “Do you?” he asked curiously.</p><p>“Growing up, I lived in the countryside for a bit and got to live in a bigger house,” Yosuke admitted.  “It was nice having a little more space.  But in the city when everyone needs some it seems kind of pretentious, doesn’t it?”</p><p>Yu seemed to relax at his words.  “Oh, not that I’m saying anything negative about Rise-chan.  She’s worked hard and in her line of work she needs the privacy anyway.”</p><p>“Besides, being in a smaller place, with just the two of us.  It’s cozier, isn’t it?” Yu said, almost to himself.  He was thinking back to those early years with Rise when they shared their small place, and thought about what it was like every time Yosuke stayed over for the night.  He definitely preferred having Yosuke close by, he decided.  They then reached the door to Rise’s apartment, and Yu used the keycard in order for them to step inside.</p><p>They both slid off their shoes at the genkan before putting on slippers that Rise had set out for them already.  They headed inside and found her curled up on the couch while scrolling through her phone.  “So, what’s the big rush?” she asked, setting her phone in her lap as she looked at both of them.</p><p>Yu and Yosuke exchanged glances before they both sat on the loveseat across from her.  Yu had reached over to grab Yosuke’s hand, and Yosuke gave it a squeeze before waiting for him to speak.  Yu let out a breath before steadying his gaze at her.  “I believe I’ve mentioned Yosuke’s current case to you,” he started, and Rise gave a nod.  She suddenly sat up and her eyes looked more serious as she realized the caliber of the conversation.</p><p>“He’s hunting some dangerous vampire, right?” she asked.</p><p>“He’s hunting Izanami,” Yu replied, and Rise’s eyes widened.  Rise didn’t know of Izanami’s connection to Yu, but she was well aware of who the vampire was.  In order to last long in their world, it was important they learn of the elder vampires and stayed off their radar.  She turned to look at Yosuke, concern etched on her face.</p><p>“Do you know what she is?” she blurted out, and Yosuke nodded his head.</p><p>“We’ve hunted elder vampires before,” he said.  “This will be my first time personally but…I’ve heard the stories.”  His face was grave, and Rise’s shoulders slumped.</p><p>“No wonder you’ve been so out of it,” she mumbled, directing her attention back at Yu.  “So, how can I help?”</p><p>“I need to get stronger.  So I can help him,” Yu replied.  “They’re putting together a task force and I mean to be part of it.  But, I can’t help much in my current state.”</p><p>Rise’s brows raised and she glanced over at Yosuke.  She leaned back against the couch again while giving him a thoughtful look.  “You know I have plenty of blood consorts,” she said, turning back to look at Yu.  “Would you prefer a male or a female?”</p><p>“Wait, hold up a minute,” Yosuke protested, letting go of Yu’s hand and crossing his arms.  “Why exactly is a <em>blood consort</em> necessary?”</p><p>A coy grin spread across Rise’s face.  “Why, Yosuke-kun, I am sure you’re aware that while blood tablets do stave off our hunger, it weakens us because it’s not as nourishing as real blood.  As strong as Yu is in his current state, if he wants to get stronger and surpass his peak strength he will need to drink human blood and start training to hone his skills again.”</p><p>Yosuke’s mouth dropped open, and he looked like he was going to object again.  “You don’t have to worry – they’re fully consenting and darling will only be doing this to get stronger for you.  We both know how much he adores you – there truly is nothing for you to concern yourself over.”  Rise appeared to be enjoying herself far too much, and Yu felt himself wince as Yosuke bristled next to him. </p><p>“He will do nothing of the sort,” Yosuke said, before jumping up.  Rise blinked in surprise, and Yu also looked up in confusion.  “If Yu needs to drink blood, he’s got a perfectly willing boyfriend right here,” Yosuke said, pointing his thumb at his chest.  He then reached down to grip Yu’s arm before yanking him up next to him.  “Thank you for your help, but in terms of the blood consort thing, it’s not needed,” Yosuke said, before he started to drag Yu away toward the front door again.</p><p>“Wait, what about your food?” Rise called.  Yosuke didn’t stop, however, and he had soon switched his shoes with Yu scrambling to keep up.  Once they had stepped outside and were waiting for the elevator, Yu caught Yosuke’s attention again.  Yosuke was still pretty worked up, but he was trying his best to keep his temper in check. </p><p>“Are you sure about this?” Yu asked him, and Yosuke took a deep breath before nodding his head.</p><p>“I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life,” he said resolutely.  He then began nervously tapping his feet, and Yu could tell that while he was resolute in his answer, he still seemed to be nervous.</p><p>Once they stepped onto the elevator, Yu decided to address it.  “Are you really sure?” he pressed, and Yosuke turned to look at him while furrowing his brows.</p><p>“Of course,” he replied.</p><p>“You just seem antsy,” Yu pointed out, and Yosuke let out a sigh before running his hand through his hair. </p><p>“This just…” he paused.  “This will be a new level of intimacy for us, right?” he said.  Yu tilted his head, and Yosuke blurted, “I know vampire bites can be like an aphrodisiac and…”</p><p>Yu flushed as he realized what Yosuke was getting at.  He suddenly understood why Yosuke had been so adamant about refusing the blood consort.  A slow smile spread across his face, and Yosuke let out a huff before crossing his arms again muttering about how annoying he was.  Yu placed his hands on Yosuke’s shoulders before staring at him.  “Yosuke, you have nothing to worry about,” he assured him.  “You trust me, don’t you?”</p><p>“Of course I trust you.  I just…” he sighed again, and he still appeared jittery.  “It’s a little scary, the thought of losing yourself.  The one thing I have as a detective and a hunter is control, you know?”</p><p>Yu nodded, and thought back to the moment he had turned.  It had been a terrifying experience.  “However,” Yosuke caught his attention again.  Yu returned his gaze, and felt his heart soften at the steadfast expression on his boyfriend’s face.  “If you remember, when we finally got together I told you I trusted you back then – my feelings have only gotten stronger about that.  I know you won’t hurt me.”  Yosuke smiled at him, and Yu couldn’t help but lean forward in order to kiss the shy smile that had spread on his face.</p><p>The elevator stopped and they both got out before making their way back to Yu’s car.  “You sure you don’t want to wait for the food?” Yu asked.</p><p>“We can just stop at a conbini on the way home,” Yosuke replied with a pout.  Yu chuckled before checking his watch.  There was still time before sunrise for them to grab something for Yosuke before returning home.</p><p>Yosuke ended up eating in the car, and when they finally returned they headed back to Yu’s apartment.  Yosuke ended up taking awhile in the bathroom as he was brushing his teeth and changing into something more comfortable, and Yu patiently waited on the bed for him to come out and join him.  Yosuke finally re-entered the room in his sweats he used as pajamas before climbing next to Yu and settling down next to him.  He still looked pretty nervous, and Yu turned to look at him.  “We don’t have to do anything today,” he said quietly, and Yosuke shook his head.</p><p>“I want to,” he said, tilting his head to look at Yu.  Although he was nervous, his eyes were honest and Yu could tell how determined he was.  “The sooner you start drinking blood, the better right?”</p><p>“As long as you’re sure,” Yu said softly.</p><p>“I’m sure,” Yosuke affirmed.</p><p>Yu reached forward and cupped Yosuke’s face.  “Then I will be sure to spoil you tonight,” he replied, holding Yosuke’s gaze as he made his vow.  Yosuke flushed, before nodding to show he understood.</p><p>“I know I’m in good hands,” he replied, a small smile forming on his lips, and Yu’s breath caught over how handsome he looked lying in his bed with his adoring gaze staring up at him.  Yu straddled Yosuke before leaning down over him, staring into his boyfriend’s eyes for a few moments longer to confirm that he was truly ready for this.  He knew exactly what it felt like to lose control and he didn’t want for a single moment for Yosuke to feel an ounce of the fear he had when it happened to him.  The fact Yosuke was agreeing to this, was allowing himself to be so vulnerable, was mind boggling.  To think that he trusted him that much…</p><p>“Yu?” Yosuke said quietly, reaching up to brush his fingers along his face.  Yu blinked before focusing again.  Yosuke was giving him a concerned look.  “Are you alright?  Are you not ready for…?” he started to ask, and Yu quickly shook his head.</p><p>“I want to show you,” he decided.  “How special you are to me.”</p><p>Yosuke’s cheeks flushed at Yu’s unyielding expression as he made the statement.  “Ok,” he said, without any hesitation, and Yu’s heart melted at Yosuke’s curiously expectant expression.  He looked so soft and unlike his usual teasing self; Yosuke was always an active participant in bed and often liked to lead the action, so having him passively wait for Yu to take control was doing things to the vampire.  He definitely wouldn’t say he preferred it – he liked it when Yosuke spoiled him and was an active participant – but this was a rare chance to do all the things he knew his boyfriend liked while setting the pace and as he had said showing Yosuke just how much he meant to him.</p><p>Yu licked his lips, noting how Yosuke’s eyes darted to watch, and leaned forward to start things off with a kiss.  “Open your mouth for me,” he murmured against Yosuke’s lips, and his boyfriend eagerly opened them before letting out a pleased hum as Yu’s tongue lazily dove inside and began exploring.  Yu was taking things slow and setting a steady pace; he wanted to enjoy this – for Yosuke to enjoy this – and for him to feel comfortable.  This wasn’t a moment to be rushed.</p><p>Yu continued their long, languid kisses until he noticed how flushed Yosuke had become; his boyfriend was panting between kisses and his heartrate had elevated, indicating he was ready to move things along.  Yu finally pulled away and he pressed a gentle kiss to Yosuke’s forehead as reassurance before he began pressing kisses along his neck and shoulder.  Ironically, Yosuke was already sensitive in this area, and he began to clutch at the sheets while his thighs clenched around where Yu was kneeling over him.  “Ah…” Yosuke gasped, and Yu smiled as he began to lightly suck on Yosuke’s neck.  Yosuke reached up and clutched the back of Yu’s neck, his fingers sliding through his silky hair.</p><p>“You’ll…you’ll let me know…?” he gasped, and Yu nodded.</p><p>“I’ll let you know before I bite,” he said, before moving to pepper kisses along Yosuke’s other neck.  He tilted his head to allow access as Yu pressed against Yosuke and wrapped his arms around his shoulders to hold him close.  He began grinding against Yosuke, and his boyfriend eagerly matched his pace.  Yu chuckled at that – even now Yosuke couldn’t completely allow himself to be a passive participant it seemed – before pressing a final kiss to Yosuke’s neck and leaning back to clutch Yosuke’s hips.  Yosuke stared up at him, face flushed and panting as he waited to see what Yu would do next.</p><p>“As much as I want to pleasure you – once I bite I may not be able to, at least in the way I want,” Yu bit his lip.  It had been such a long time since he last tasted blood other than his own when he had shared it with Yosuke; he wasn’t sure how he would react.</p><p>“It’s ok,” Yosuke encouraged him.  “We have more time for…exploring what it can be like later.”  Yu let out a sigh before nodding, and he leaned forward to press a kiss against Yosuke’s lips again as his hands slid down to start rubbing along Yosuke’s inner thighs, causing his boyfriend to buck eagerly against him at the sensation.  Yu slid down, dragging down Yosuke’s sweats to press a few heated kisses along his thighs, while looking longingly at Yosuke’s tented boxer briefs.</p><p>‘I can try,’ he decided, and he reached forward, pulling Yosuke’s dick from his underwear and giving it a squeeze, causing Yosuke to gasp out in surprise.  Yu reached over to his drawer next to the bed to pull out a bottle of lube, and he poured it in his hand before using it to start slicking up Yosuke’s dick.</p><p>“Yu,” Yosuke gasped, before his hands began to wander under his shirt, gripping Yu’s back muscles and shoulders as he grinded himself against Yu’s expert touch.</p><p>“I’m going to bite you now,” Yu murmured against Yosuke’s ear, and his boyfriend shivered at the sensation before nodding his consent.</p><p>“Go ahead,” he groaned, wrapping his arms around Yu’s shoulders, and Yu lowered his face back to Yosuke’s tempting neck.  He took a deep breath, taking in the citrusy smell of Yosuke’s shampoo along with the heady smell of his sweat, before pressing his lips against the most sensitive part of Yosuke’s skin, right at the crook of the neck.  Yosuke gasped and pressed harder against him, eyes squeezed shut in anticipation, and Yu’s tongue darted out and swirled around the area first, causing Yosuke to shudder against him before his teeth finally sank into his neck.</p><p>Yosuke let out a startled gasp, and while he could still feel pressure building from where Yu was continuing to slide his fingers along his dick, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling from Yu’s bite.  He felt an instant ache of pleasure radiate from the bite, and as Yu began to lap at the blood from his wound the heat spread through his body, clouding his mind and causing his nerves to tingle anywhere Yu’s skin brushed against him.  Once it finally travelled enough to where he could feel the sensation on his dick, he nearly came instantly; somehow Yu seemed to have enough presence of mind to still his hand in order to prolong the sensation for him.  Yosuke’s heart was pounding in his chest as his mind was filled with nothing but Yu, his scent, any place where they touched, the low groan he was making in his throat as he began sucking at his neck.  “Ah…Yu…” Yosuke moaned, as Yu’s hands began to work him back toward an orgasm again.</p><p>“Yosuke,” Yu murmured, clutching him close with his free arm.  Yosuke was feeling heady, more than likely a mix of some of the blood loss along with the pleasure at this point, and he almost felt like he was floating and somehow detached from what was happening to him.  It would have been scary, if he didn’t fully trust the man who was currently holding him close.  Instead, he allowed himself to surrender to it – to the feeling of ecstasy – and once he finally released from the pressure that had quickly built up again he did feel as if he drifted away, lost completely to the sensations of Yu touching his skin, whispering gentle words in his ear, pressing kisses along his body.</p><p>“I love you,” he heard Yu murmur, and as some of the pleasurable haze began to fade away, Yosuke felt exhaustion take over.  He felt weak, he assumed from the blood loss, and if this had been in any other scenario he would have felt scared.  But he knew with Yu he was safe.  His eyes slid open again, and he blinked a few times to get them to focus.  Yu was currently cleaning him up and had gotten another pair of sweats for him to change into; as Yosuke’s eyes roamed over his boyfriend, he could see a change in him.  He looked less pale and like he had more color, and he could somehow sense that there was a change in his aura.  Yu already seemed stronger, and he definitely seemed sated; Yosuke was startled to realize that Yu must usually be in a state of hunger, even with the blood tablets.</p><p>“Hey,” Yosuke said, his voice hoarse.  Yu quickly handed him a glass of water and Yosuke took a grateful sip before laying back down against the pillow.  Yu helped him change into his sweats before running a soothing hand through his hair.</p><p>“How do you feel?” he asked.  “I fed you some of my blood, so they should heal pretty quickly, but once the anesthetic feeling wears off they may sting a little.”  His fingers brushed along the bite mark he left on Yosuke’s skin, and Yosuke felt another jolt of pleasure from the sensation.  He caught Yu’s hand while staring up at him.</p><p>“Honestly?  Kind of weird,” he replied.  “I feel dizzy.”</p><p>Yu frowned, and Yosuke tightened his grip.  “But because it’s you?  I feel safe,” he admitted.  “You look really good.  It’s like…I’m seeing you healthy for the first time.”</p><p>Yu flushed, before pulling Yosuke’s hand up to press it against his cheek.  “When you passed out I was worried,” he confessed.</p><p>“I think it was just overwhelming,” Yosuke replied, feeling his cheeks heat into a blush.  “But, I’m ok.  Really,” he added.</p><p>Yu let out a relieved sigh.  “You should get some rest,” he said gently, moving over to turn off the light.  Although it was definitely light outside at this point, Yu’s curtains completely blocked the light and it bathed them in dark.</p><p>“That’s probably a good idea,” Yosuke said with a yawn.  He scooted closer to Yu, and relaxed as he felt his arms wrap around him.  “I love you too,” he said sleepily, responding to Yu’s words earlier.  Yu pressed a kiss on the top of his head, and continued to card his fingers through his hair as Yosuke drifted off to sleep.  He fell asleep faster than he had in quite awhile, and Yosuke felt completely safe and protected in Yu’s arms.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Drops of Jupiter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yosuke and Chie prepare to gather a task force to take out Izanami.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Later that afternoon, Yosuke finally stirred awake and was surprised at how clear headed he felt.  ‘Must be Yu’s blood at work,’ he realized.  His neck did feel a little sore, but as he reached up to feel it he realized the bite marks had already faded away so he wouldn’t have to explain anything at the office that evening.  Yosuke suddenly realized he really had to go to the bathroom, probably from drinking that water before he drifted off to sleep, but as he tried to slip out of bed he was startled to discover he was trapped in an iron grip.  He looked over at Yu who was clutching him firmly in his meditative state, and he experimentally tried to pull out of his grasp again but realized it was like trying to get out of a steel trap.</p>
<p>‘Just drinking blood one time makes this much of a difference?’ Yosuke thought in surprise.  He began tapping Yu on the forehead, trying to distract him from his meditation, and when that didn’t work he slid his fingers through his boyfriend’s silky hair and began to massage his scalp while calling out his name.</p>
<p>“Yu, I need you to let go,” he said, and after a few moment’s Yu’s eyes finally slid open.</p>
<p>“Yosuke?” he said, apparently surprised he had gotten up first.</p>
<p>“Please let go, I have to go pee,” Yosuke whined, and Yu flushed before reluctantly releasing him.  Yosuke pressed a kiss to his cheek before hurrying off to the bathroom.  Yu ran one hand through his hair, sliding his strands back into place while reliving the feeling of Yosuke massaging his scalp, before blinking in surprise and holding his hands out in front of him.  He flexed his fingers and was startled by just how strong he felt; it had been so long since he had last had strength like this that he had forgotten what it felt like.  The feeling made him a little uneasy, especially in light of the fact Yosuke had been unable to budge from his grip moments ago.</p>
<p>When Yosuke returned from the bathroom, he found Yu sitting on the bed and staring absentmindedly at his hands.  He lifted an eyebrow before climbing back into bed next to him and leaning forward to catch his attention.  “How are you feeling?” Yu asked, his eyes examining Yosuke’s features.</p>
<p>“Much better than I expected.  I’m a little tired but the dizziness from yesterday is completely gone,” Yosuke said.  “How are you feeling?”</p>
<p>Yu flexed his fingers again.  “Powerful.”  He then dropped his hands in his lap.  “Anxious.”</p>
<p>“I trust you, remember?” Yosuke replied, before reaching forward and lifting up Yu’s head to look him in the eyes.  Yu leaned forward to press their foreheads together before nodding.</p>
<p>“When I go into work today, I am going to have to report to the chief that we’re dealing with an elder vampire.  That means we’ll be putting together a task force and coming up with a plan which will take a few weeks.  Will that be enough time?” Yosuke asked him.</p>
<p>“Yes.  Through drinking your blood and training with Rise it will not take long for me to be back in top form,” Yu admitted.  Vampires were built for it afterall and unlike humans his body wasn’t losing muscle mass or anything.  The proof was in how much strength had returned after only drinking blood once.  “We’ll have to give you enough days to recover inbetween though.  And I want you to have a full week of recovery before we fight her.”</p>
<p>“Will you be ok going a week without blood?  Won’t you weaken again?” Yosuke asked nervously.</p>
<p>“No.  We don’t need to eat every day like humans.  The reason why I need the blood tablets so often is because it doesn’t have the same effect as drinking blood,” Yu admitted.</p>
<p>“So, you really were starving yourself,” Yosuke softly replied.  He appeared troubled.</p>
<p>Yu pulled away and it was his turn to lift Yosuke’s head up to look at him.  “Once this is over and we’re not trying to get my strength up anymore, we can still do this occasionally…if you’re ok with it, that is,” he said.  “It won’t need to be as often so it won’t be as much of a drain on you.  But I think…I’m ready to work on moving on and accept what I am again.”</p>
<p>To his relief, Yosuke smiled up at him.  “I’d like that.  Now that I know what it’s like seeing you healthy, I don’t want to see you return to what you were like before.”  He leaned forward to press a kiss against Yu’s lips before pulling back.  “Honestly, I’m looking forward to experimenting more with it,” he added cheekily, referring to their conversation the night before.  Yu flushed.</p>
<p>“We just have to be careful.  Many people can get addicted and…”  Yosuke cut Yu off by grabbing his face and starting resolutely at him.</p>
<p>“Trust me when I say, while I do trust you, and it was certainly a pleasurable experience.  I didn’t like the feeling of losing control and much prefer getting to ensure you feel pleasure too.”  Yosuke was serious as he spoke.  “I am willing to trust myself in your care to maintain your health but I will never desire it as much as I do being coherent with you.”</p>
<p>Yu’s eyes slid closed, and he let out a deep breath, releasing some of his tense feelings that he had been carrying from early that morning.  “As much as I look forward to getting to pamper and spoil you, I also prefer it when you’re in control and return the favor.  I never quite know what you’re going to do – it makes it exciting.”</p>
<p>Yosuke grinned proudly before pulling away.  “I’ve got a lot to do today.  I kind of left Chie and Kanji hanging yesterday and have a lot of explaining to do.”</p>
<p>Yu nodded.  “Thank you,” he softly replied.  Yosuke tilted his head in confusion.</p>
<p>“For listening to my story.  For not judging me.  For being patient…”  Yu let out a sigh.  “I’ve carried that with me for such a long time…”</p>
<p>“Thank you, actually,” Yosuke replied.  Yu raised an eyebrow.  “For trusting me enough to tell me and for opening up about such a traumatic experience so we can try to save others.  It takes a lot of courage to do that.”  He squeezed Yu’s hands and smiled gratefully at him, before reluctantly pulling away.  “If you need to talk today, just let me know.”</p>
<p>Yu nodded, and Yosuke ran his hand through his hair before heading back upstairs so he could get ready for work.  Teddie, of course, was out at his internship, and as Yosuke took his shower he thought back through all that had happened to him over the past day.  Hearing Yu’s story, finally understanding his trauma, and then their intimate moment afterward.  Yosuke’s fingers brushed at his neck and he closed his eyes, remembering the feeling of Yu’s teeth puncturing his skin that morning.  He definitely could see how some people could get addicted to the sensation, but if he was honest with himself it was a little scary more than anything else.  He knew Yu would never take advantage of it, and he truly did want him to be healthier and to embrace himself more, and he hoped maybe with time he would gain some resistance and not fully lose himself in the future. </p>
<p>Once Yosuke was done with his shower and changed, he headed outside and grabbed himself a quick lunch at the convenience store to eat once he got to work.  When he arrived, Chie was already waiting for him and impatiently pacing in their office.  “It’s about damn time,” she grumbled, and Yosuke offered her a meat bun in order to help appease her.</p>
<p>Chie glared at him, well aware it was his attempt to bribe her into a better mood, before reluctantly accepting and taking a bite.  “Well?” she pressed as Yosuke pulled out a rice ball for himself.</p>
<p>“I learned a lot last night,” Yosuke admitted before taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully.  “Yu has a history with Izanami – in fact, she’s the one who changed him although he wasn’t aware of it at the time.”</p>
<p>Chie blinked.  “That makes him pretty strong, doesn’t it?” she replied.</p>
<p>Yosuke nodded before reaching over for the cold case files that Naoto had shared with him yesterday.  He handed the newspaper article to Chie.  “She’s the one behind these murders,” he explained.  “Which means she’s been doing this for quite a long time.  She probably moves around to avoid suspicion, so I wonder why now she’s been more blatant about it.”</p>
<p>“Arrogance, probably,” Chie said as her eyes scanned the newspaper article.  Her brows furrowed when she read about how violent it was and the fact the whole family had been murdered.  “Yu witnessed it.  It’s when he realized what kind of a person she was.  He tried to stop her but wasn’t strong enough.”</p>
<p>“Well, yeah, what’s a fledgling going to do against an elder vampire?” Chie replied.  “It’s why this time we’re going to form a task force.”  She then paused, thinking over Yosuke’s words.  She turned to look at him.  “Is he…ok?” she asked hesitantly.</p>
<p>“I think opening up to me about it…he’s going to be,” Yosuke said slowly.  “He’s definitely not yet but.  I think now he’s finally going to try.  He’s also going to help us out – Rise-chan as well.”</p>
<p>“That’ll definitely be useful,” Chie said brightly.  “Well, we probably shouldn’t delay this any longer.  Let’s go talk to the chief.”</p>
<p>Yosuke nodded, and they both exited from their office and made their way to the chief hunter’s office.  The meeting went about exactly as Yosuke had thought, with the chief quickly realizing the severity of the case, especially after how many losses they had suffered from the last elder vampire case.  Not only had there been deaths, but the emotional and physical trauma had caused long term issues afterward with one hunter having to retire due to injuries and others having long term effects due to survivor’s guilt.  “I want both of you to put together the team to deal with this threat,” he said.  “You both have been working it and know better than anyone what you’re facing.  That means you will have the final say in who is joining.  Once you have the team together, we will meet again to start discussing strategy.  We want to move quickly to avoid future victims, but must also take the necessary precautions to mitigate risk and our own losses in the process.”  The chief had been part of the last task force and had his own scars to remind him how important it was to make sure they were ready before acting.  “Any questions?”</p>
<p>Neither Yosuke nor Chie had any and were both fully aware of how gravely serious the task ahead of them was.  Once they left the chief’s office, knowing he had several calls to make in order to inform the higher command of the caliber of vampire they were dealing with while securing funding and supplies for the task force, they returned to their office in order to mull over the first part of their task.  Their other cases that they were juggling would be set aside for now as they focused on the most imminent threat.</p>
<p>“So, you and me, obviously,” Chie said.  “And you already said Narukami-kun and Kujikawa-san.”  Yosuke nodded.  “Kanji should join of course…”</p>
<p>“Wait, are you sure?” Yosuke interrupted.</p>
<p>Chie blinked at him.  “He’s already been helping with the case,” she replied.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but…” Yosuke drifted off.  Kanji was younger than them and hadn’t worked the type of cases they had.  He didn’t want to endanger him anymore than they had already.</p>
<p>Chie blew out her breath, causing her bangs to blow up out of her eyes in the process.  “You do realize if we try to keep him off this case his feelings will be hurt.  He would want to be there to help protect us too.”</p>
<p>“I know, I know,” Yosuke groaned.  “I just don’t want him to get hurt.  But you’re right – he helped me out a lot in the past, especially with Yamada.”  Yosuke bit his lip before finally scrawling Kanji’s name onto the list of possibilities.  “We’ll have to ask first to make sure…”</p>
<p>“And you know he’ll say yes,” she rolled her eyes.  “Besides, the chief told us this case is top secret because they don’t want it leaking out and causing unnecessary panic.  That means the people we pick we have to trust to keep quiet about it.”</p>
<p>“You’re right.  I guess we have to think carefully about who else to ask,” he agreed.</p>
<p>“I have an idea about one person,” Chie mused.  “How about you?”</p>
<p>Yosuke’s mind drifted to Naoto for a moment.  She had never gone on a hunt before, but she had helped him with research on plenty of vampire cases and probably had the best aim in the entire force.  “I think I have someone too,” he agreed.</p>
<p>“Well, let’s gather all the evidence we got yesterday to write up a report for the chief to use,” Chie grumbled before taking a sip of her energy drink she had brought into work.</p>
<p>“Yeah, we can finalize the list after asking a few more people,” Yosuke agreed.</p>
<p>As Yosuke began to sift through the cold case files again, he found his mind drifting back to Yu.  ‘1949 huh,’ he thought to himself.  If Yu had already been an adult and changed into a vampire by then, it was highly likely his family from that time period was no longer around.  He remembered how Yu had mentioned not going to see his parents again after he was turned, and he felt his chest twist in pain over all Yu had lost.  His dreams, his family…  Yosuke tried to think about having to leave his career as a hunter, all of his friends, and his family behind, and he couldn’t even imagine it.  He wouldn’t necessarily have to in this day and age but the thought of watching them all growing old and fading away while he continued on…</p>
<p>Yosuke’s heart suddenly froze as a thought hit him.  That was exactly what he would be doing to Yu.  He set down the file he had been pretending to read for the past five minutes and closed his eyes.  He had passing thoughts here and there about the long term with Yu, but he hadn’t really considered the full implications of what would happen in their relationship.  Yet, he knew there was no way Yu hadn’t thought about it.  It had to be something he fully considered before entering into a relationship with him.</p>
<p>Yosuke rested his head on his hand and frowned as he thought about it.  ‘This is probably something we should discuss,’ he realized.  Preferably before their very dangerous hunt they would be going on in a mere few weeks.  Yosuke nodded to himself resolutely before picking up the case file again and preparing himself to focus.  As much as he wanted to think over his relationship, there were lives at stake and the people of the city needed him to be on his game if he and his friends were to put a stop to Izanami’s reign of terror.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Halloween everyone!  Tainted Love was written for 2019's Halloween Souyo event so it only makes sense for Part 2 Somewhere I Belong to be written for 2020's ^^  Hopefully everyone will enjoy this chapter and look forward to what's in store!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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